No Do Overs
by Mr. Iowa
Summary: The year is 2034. It's been 12 years since Batman went missing. Since then Superman has gone rogue and the League has dragged the world into a new age. But not all the heroes are on board. Can the Resistance, led by Nightwing, find a way to put things right?
1. Out of the Freezer, into the Fridge

**A/N: Hello, it certainly has been a long time since I've dusted off the proverbial writer's pen, or in this case keyboard, to write much of anything really. And with all the rumors swirling of Netflix looking at the numbers for a potential season 3 I figured now is probably as good a time as any to finish off my little AU I started back in 2012. If you haven't read much, or any, of those stories, I hope you check them out. They're all linked in my profile and labeled as a part of the AU in question, so please go check them out. To be honest, I'm not sure how well this well mesh with my other stories since it's been three years since writing this world and these characters, but I just want to get this baby finished.**

* * *

 **Abandoned Star Labs Facility**

 **Star City  
July 26** **th** **, 2034**

Thomas Jackson was not someone who was easily surprised. Being ripped from another universe, experimented upon, cloned, and then having his mind moved to a new genetically enhanced body by a repentant telepath, the same telepath who had the brutal experiments in the first place, will do that to a man. Compared to those harrowing and convoluted events, it takes a lot to get up to that level again, though helping stop an Apokalyptan invasion certainly came close. But when he found himself still alive his jaw hit the proverbial floor.

His mind flashed back to the last thing he remembered: Hell. He'd been helping Diana rescue her mother's soul from Hades. Hermes offered to take Diana through a 'back door' to the Underworld, had talked the new Amazon Queen into bringing someone who could burn as hot as the devil himself. But it all went sideways when Hades caught wind of their presence almost as soon as they arrived. Legions of undead separated him from Hermes and Diana. Hades arrived next, sneering at the heroes as he reveled in their failure. Thomas remembered yelling at Hermes to get Diana out, and then he ran right at the God of Underworld. And then, well, he didn't want to think about what had come next.

But somehow he was alive. Or at least, he thought he was. He couldn't feel his body at all, in fact, like the whole damn thing was asleep. Then there was the fact that he couldn't see, which, given his healing ability, was rather alarming. Suddenly, light exploded around him, his ocular nerve jolting back to life. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, but he realized he was caged in some form of stasis chamber. Suddenly, the numbness made sense: he'd been in cryosleep. _But for how long,_ he wondered. Processing this new information was cut short as the pain hit. Like limbs waking up from falling asleep, but magnified a hundred fold, working its way from his feet to his head. He cried out in pain, unprepared for the sensation of his nerve endings regenerating. After a few minutes the sensation died out, leaving Thomas with full control of his body again. His restraints quickly yielded to his returned strength. The cold still stung, but he could feel the pod getting warmer. He was about to use his pyro-kinesis to finish heating up the pod, but motion outside caused him to pause. The ice and fog on the glass made everything blurry and dark, so he couldn't tell who was on the other side of the cage, but there appeared to be two people at the computer console outside his would be cell. He charged up an explosive blast, readying his escape.

* * *

On the other side of the glass the two figures, clad in all black, studied the readouts, hoping the old tech would hold up after being kept on for so long. The skinnier one's hands were a blur over the computer as he attempted to keep the temperature from rising too fast, hoping to reduce the stress on the body of someone in cryofreeze for so long, even if that body did have Thomas' accelerated healing. There was no telling what these people had done to him over the years.

The other man ran his hair through his jet black hair. "He's alive?"

"I think so." Replied the redhead. "This pod is old, and, if you're intel is on point, it hasn't been maintained well given how much moving around it's had all these years. Frankly, I'm amazed it's still functional."

"The intel is solid, you know that. Ra's has never been wrong yet."

His partner quickly shot back, "So he's calling himself Ra's now? I thought he wanted nothing to do with that title."

The black haired man signed. "It's complicated. What matters is that the League follows him, instead of his grandfather."

"Yeah, and I suppose having you know who as his dad probably didn't hurt either." The red head refocused on the computer for the containment pod.

"True enough." He looked over his partner's shoulder at the pod. "Can you tell what they've done to him?"

"No, the log only shows there were a handful of activations, most in the immediate aftermath of Diana leaving him in Hell. Literally."

"You can't still think she did that on purpose."

"Like it would be so shocking, given what she's done since then?" He turned to rant at his partner. "Look, I know you have a soft spot for her D, given her relationship with you know who, but-" An explosion, and a flying glass door, cut off the man's rant at his teammate. He tried to avoid the door, but with how out of practice he was, shifting into high gear wasn't as easy as it used to be. The door nailed his back and sent him sprawling into man he was half screaming at mere seconds ago.

Rolling off his friend and trying to climb to his feet, he groaned, cursing the toll the years, not to mention the explosion, had on his back. As he shook the spots out of his vision, he tried to speak, "Thomas, wai-." A fist hit his face, cracking his jaw as his head snapped sideways. It had been a long time since he'd taken a hit that hard. As he grip on consciousness began to slip he saw his friend begin to move.

'D' rolled backward, leaping off the ground to fling three tranq darts at his opponent. They sailed straight at their target, just like he had been trained all those years ago, but his target was faster, plucking two of them out of the air. Finishing his well-practiced flip, 'D' landed ready to move thinking his target would be charging him. Instead, D saw the man waver on his feet, pulling the third dart from his thigh.

'D' immediately stopped, putting his hands up to hopefully put a stop to any counterattack. "Sorry dude, totally not how this supposed to go down. All instinct, I swear!" And so he stood there, studying the man across from him, amazed at what he was seeing. Years of searching, of hoping that Diana was wrong, that he hadn't died facing down Hades, but as things got worse that hope dwindled. And yet there Thomas was, standing right in front of him. Well, more like wavering unsteadily as he body worked through the heavy dose of tranquilizing agents from the dart that pierced his skin, but still, he was alive.

* * *

Thomas pulled the dart of his leg, shaking his head as he felt momentarily woozy from the toxin. He wished he'd still had his uniform, yet another thing his captors took from him. The white cloth pants offered no resistance to the tranq dart. But after a moment his healing ability worked through whatever mixture he injected with it, leaving no trace it had been in his blood at all. Looking at the darts design Thomas was flabbergasted. Its structure and the technique of the man who threw it meant it could only have come from one person. He might have dropped the blue bird on his chest, but only Dick Grayson could move like that.

"Certainly not very 'traught of you, Nightwing, attacking a defenseless man who just woke up in an ice box." Thomas looked at his old friend, and while he could put his finger on it, something was off in a big way.

Dick Grayson lowered his arms, trying not to laugh at his teammates mock seriousness. "Well, blowing up said ice box would say you're not exactly defenseless." Nightwing couldn't hold back a smile as he crossed the gap to shack Thomas's hand.

Now it was Thomas' turn to crack a smile. "Well, you could have at least said hello instead of waking me up with no clue as to where I was."

"Yeah, our bad." The voice came from ground as Wally West had woken up from his punch-to-the-face induced blackout.

As the former, and unmasked, Kid Flash got to his feet, the realization of what Thomas was seeing hit him like a freight train. He looked old; at least in his mid-thirties. Thomas whipped his head back in Dick's direction. "What year is it?"

Wally looked appalled. "Hey, we don't look that old!" He turned to Dick, "Do we?"

Dick just smirked, nodding at Thomas. "Well, we can't all be 25 forever like our friend here."

"Not funny, Dick." Thomas placed extra emphasis on his friend's name, driving home the seriousness of the question. "What year is it?"

Dick hesitated, wishing he had better news for his friend. "It's 2034, 13 years since you went missing and were presumed killed."

"Presumed…" Thomas' voice trailed off. He was silent for a minute before speaking again. "If you of all people couldn't find me, the list of suspects for whoever did this is a very, very short list."

Wally nodded. "Our thoughts exactly. We looked for months; even after Diana came back and said you were dead. But things got…a little hairy after you disappeared. A lot of people in the League weren't happy with how things went down. And then Batman went missing. The world really went to hell after that."

Thomas was stunned. "What? Bat's is missing? When?"

Wally looked to Dick, who was silent on the matter, not wanting to drudge up the memories so openly. Wally understood, taking the question himself. "About 7 months after you went missing. He's the one who had us looking for you. Well, you, and Cassandra."

Something happened to Cassie, his fiance? Anger was starting to creep in to Thomas' shock. "What. Happened?"

Wally shrugged. "Honestly, we don't know. I've never seen any Amazon so pissed off as when Cassie found out Diana left you behind. I mean, they're sisters, but I thought for sure she was going to kill Diana. Not that I blame her. But then she just stopped, looked dead straight at Bats and just said, 'Find him.' And the she zeta'd off the Watchtower. No one's seen her since. 30 minutes later Bats has me, Nightwing, Connor and Artemis working on leads. Fast forward 7 months and Bats says that he may finally be on to something. But the next day he's just…gone."

Dick curled his hand into a fist, the memories of those events only serving to anger him. His inner rage was cut short by a short series of chirps from his wrist computer. One look at the screen and his face, nearly always as passive as The Batman's, was filled with worry. "Thomas, hate to cut this reunion off, but long story short, our presence has drawn the attention of people we really, REALLY, do not want catching us. Namely, the Justice League and an army of Amazon muscle." Nightwing turned to Wally, both as grim faced as Thomas could ever recall. "You know the plan. Divert the League's attention, then rendezvous back at HQ."

Wally nodded, pulling down his goggles into place. He hit the Flash logo on his chest, going from stealth to the old school red and gold. The speedster caught the quizzical look from Thomas. "Gotta be seen if I'm drawing them off your guys' back. Plus, I'm looking forward to running circles around those beautiful Amazon behinds." With a smirk the speedster was off, booming out of the facility and into the night air. Dick punched in a code on his computer, and an explosion rocked the roof. A line from the Batplane descended through the hole.

Thomas stared down the path Wally had taken. "Did you ever get used to seeing him move like that? God, I remember when he couldn't hold a candle to Barry."

Dick moved to fasten the clamp to his belt. "To be honest, no. He'll always be KF to me, even if he is a faster speedster than Barry ever was. But don't tell him I said that. His head's already big enough." Pulling the line taut, Dick glanced over at Thomas, who was stood staring at the containment pod. "Anyway T, I'd love to tell you the rest of the sordid tale here and now, but like I said, it's a long story, one that will have an even worse ending if we're captured. So, I guess it all comes down to whether or not you trust me."

Nightwing shot into the air as the line was pulled up automatically, leaving Thomas to his thoughts. As Dick got behind the controls he couldn't help but smile as the familiar heat of Thomas' flame induced flight filled the cabin, trailing off as he took the co-pilot's seat. It had been a long time since anyone in the resistance had anything truly worth smiling about. But that train of negativity was cut short as Thomas strapped himself in beside his old friend.

"Dick, I'm appalled you even asked that question. Now, since we seem have a flight in front of us, you're going to tell me the whole damn thing, right from the top." When Dick was silent for a few moments Thomas let him know he was not in the mood. "Grayson, I swear to god I will turn this plane around and shoot of an explosion the League can't help but check out if I don't get some answers, now."

Dick gathered his thoughts, setting the plane an autopilot, double checking that the proprietary Wayne Tech/Martian cloaking technology was still in place. Settling back into the chair he just started talking, laying out the whole string of events that led both he and Wally to that facility where Thomas had been held. "So, after Diana came back from the Underworld without you…"

* * *

 **So, what do you think? What crazy shit has gone down in those missing years to have Wally and Dick hunted by the League and the Amazons? Who's pulling the strings behind Thomas', and a few others' abduction? Let me know your guesses in the reviews!**


	2. Meet the New Base, Same as the Old Base

**Location unknown  
** **July 26** **th, 2034**

Oliver Queen studied the bank of computer monitors, disheartened by the images streaming across the screens in front of him. The cave system, serving as a makeshift headquarters, constantly received live feeds courtesy of Wayne Enterprises from many sources all around the world, such as comms chatter from police and military forces, the League controlled news stations, like GNN, Resistance operatives, and sometimes even broadcasts from unknown sources showing had bad life had gotten under the new world regime. Whenever he saw those rogue broadcasts, before the United Earth Government shut them down, the aging archer couldn't help but feel his spirits lifted. _Those journalists sure had balls,_ he thought. Tonight, however, no such broadcasts came on the air. Instead, the only thing he saw was more bad news. Nights like this were growing more and more frequent this past year. The Resistance may have put up a good fight for nearly a decade now, but Queen could see the writing on the wall, even if Nightwing couldn't or just refused to. _If only Dinah were still here, maybe things wouldn't look so dire._

"Anything good on tonight?" A familiar voice came from behind him as Artemis Crock came around and settled into the chair beside him. "You shouldn't stare at the TV so long; it'll rot your brain Ollie."

Queen snorted loudly at the joke, drawing a sideways glance from his former protégé. "God I needed a laugh tonight, Crock."

"You also need to shave." Queen gasped loudly, his hand subconsciously went straight to his gray goatee's defense. Artemis lost it at the brief terror in her mentor's eyes. Both archers quickly crumbled into laughter that echoed through the cavern.

Their laughter caught the attention of the nearby group young heroes who had been training in hand to hand combat with Jason Todd, the former boy wonder turned psychotic criminal turned repentant anti-hero. Two in particular were far faster than the others in sprinting to the monitor station.

Jay and Barry West, being speedsters like their dad, were quick on the scene. Jay took on his mom's 'training voice'. "Would you two mind keeping it down?"

Barry nodded, mock indignation written all over his freckled face. "Yeah _Mom_ , we're trying to train you know."

The rest of the group came up behind them, Red Hood trailing last. "You guys aren't going to amount to much if you run off every time someone laughs or farts." He put his head in his hands as the whole group of kids broke into laughter at the word 'fart'. "Artemis, I think your husband has ruined these kids."

"Wally? No, this has Oliver written all over it."

Queen shrugged in the chair, keeping an eye on the monitors. "Hey, I may be juvenile…ah, who am I kidding? Who doesn't love a good fart joke?"

Artemis shook her head. "Funny enough, moms don't exactly want their kids making those kinds of jokes when they're trying to save the world."

A loud beep and an accompanying red flash drew the group's attention to the upper left monitor, which Oliver quickly brought up on the main screen in the center. A series of symbols appeared, quickly decoded by the computer into a short message: _Package recovered, on route to cave._

The older heroes were dumbstruck, not believing the words on the screen. Jay, just as confused as the rest of the kids, was the first to ask the question on their minds. "Umm…what's the 'package'?"

Queen slumped back into his chair. "The package, Mr. West, is an old friend. Someone we thought died years ago. Not that Nightwing ever believed it."

"Yeah, and now you have to live with him pretty much constantly tell you, 'I told you so.'" Todd quipped from the back as a look of dismay crossed Queen's face. "Besides, it'll be good to have someone else to spar with for once while we sit on our asses and do nothing."

Artemis turned quickly to glare at the former Robin. "Hey, language!"

Todd laughed. "Yeah, wouldn't want these impressionable young kids being marred for life by the horror of foul language. Heaven forbid the tyrannical Justice League and their Amazon hit squad doesn't do that first."

While the archer and the anti-hero had a mini stare down, Barry tried to cut the tension. "So who's this old friend Nightwing managed to find?"

Artemis turned her gaze from Todd back to the computer, bringing up several old League case files, video footage, etc. "That would be him." She pointed to one video in particular, security footage from Darkseid's last attempt to conquer Earth in 2017. "His name is Thomas Jackson. He was with our old team from the beginning. One the few who managed to escape capture during the Purge in 2017. He helped break quite a few people out of those prisons and then stopped Darkseid from taking over Earth. 14 years ago he went on a mission with Diana." The young trainees all gasped quietly at the mention of her name, causing Artemis to pause. "This was before she became what she is now. The mission was in in Hell, literally, and they got the job done, but Thomas didn't make it back. We were told he died down there, not that Batman or Nightwing ever believed that."

Oliver cut it. "Short version is, Nightwing's been following leads on Thomas' location for going on 13 years now. I thought for sure it was a wild goose chase, but it looks like he's back."

A black haired boy, the oldest of the group by a few years at 17, spoke up next. "I think I remember him. Did he know my parents?"

Oliver nodded. "He most certainly did, James. Your dad was on his team, The Outlaws, way back when, along with your mother and your current trainer." The elder archer pointed towards Red Hood. "They saved a lot of lives together. It was during that whole Darkseid business that your mom found out she was pregnant with your, actually. She spent a lot of time with Dinah and I until things settled down."

"I never knew that. Mom never talked much about that."

Oliver sighed, unsure how to handle the boy so soon after losing dad and his mother running off to help lead the League of Shadows. "Your mother was always very private person. Losing your dad hit her pretty hard. But don't worry; she'll be back when this is all done. I promise you that."

James met Oliver's gaze. "Thanks Ollie. So this guy was on the team with my parents?

"Not just on the team, it was his squad. He picked the members, trained them with everything Batman and Canary had taught him and ran point on all the ops, with some help from Oracle, of course. Having him back will be a huge boost for us. While we're gonna have to get him up to speed on the way things are right now, I'm sure he'll be in the field in no time. It sure will be nice to have someone with some actual muscle on our side for once." Oliver absent mindedly rubbed the stub of his left arm. "I wish I could get back in the field, just to see the look on that Amazon bitch's face when Thomas tells where she can shove it."

"What, so he gets to swear?" Todd asked, directing his question at Artemis.

"Well, when he's insulting the queen of the Amazons, I'll make an allowance for that."

* * *

 **Justice League Briefing Room  
** **The Watchtower  
** **December 9** **th** **, 2021**

"Diana." Batman's voice commanded the Amazon's attention. "I know that wasn't easy, having to tell everyone what happened. I'm sorry Clark and I couldn't make the meeting."

Diana stood looking at the large windows, staring down at Earth with her arms crossed. "Thomas knew the risks."

Batman was unnerved by the Amazons lack of emotional response to the events of the last day and half, but with her back turned to him, she failed to see the emotion ever so briefly cross his usually passive face. "Given that we're dealing with an Olympian, who should lead the search team?"

"Search team?" Diana scoffed at the notion. "Taking prisoners is not exactly something Hades in known for. I'm sorry, Bruce, but Thomas is dead. I won't risk another League member against Hades just to find a body."

"It will be volunteer-"

"No, Bruce, the League voted."

"What? When?"

"Before you and Clark arrived. 20-3 in favor of holding off any search teams, with the only members abstaining being the two of you."

Bruce glared at his teammate. "Diana, this is a League affair. Clark and I should have allowed say."

Diana didn't even bother to face him. "But you weren't. Even with Arrow, Canary and Marvel backing you, you would still been heavily outnumbered."

"You say like that we're…divided."

"Perhaps we are."

Before Bruce could reply the doors to the briefing room were thrown open. Cassandra Sandsmark, Diana's replacement as Wonder Woman, crossed the room quickly, anger flowing off of her. "Leaving him in the pit isn't enough for you _, sister_?" The word 'sister' dripped with venom. "You had to convince the whole League they shouldn't even try to find him?"

Diana took a moment to come up with an answer for her half-sister. "You know as well as I-"

"That he can't die! God dammit Diana, the guy's fallen off skyscrapers, been punched right in the face by Darkseid himself, and he always came back!" Tears were starting to tumble down her face. "He's not dead. He can't be, I won't believe that."

Diana didn't know how to react, but Bruce tried to comfort the younger Amazon. "I'm sorry; I know you two were close."

"We're _still_ close. That isn't going to change as long I'm still breathing. And as hard as I am to kill, we all know he's tougher. I want your word, Batman. That you'll help me find him." Cassie turned to her sibling. "The whole League owes him that much, even if you're too spineless to do anything about it." She turned back to Batman. "So, do I have your word?"

Batman nodded. "Of course. We'll find him, with or without the League."

Cassie wiped her eyes dry. "Good." Cassie shot one last glare at Diana, and turned and left the Watchtower.

* * *

 **Batplane  
Somewhere over Kansas  
** **2034**

Thomas sat silently, absorbing the story Dick was painting for him with his a few minutes of silence, his voice was subdued."And that's it? That's the last time anyone saw her?"

Dick nodded from the pilot's seat. "Yeah, from what Bruce said she came in guns blazing on Diana, and then she just vanished. Right after that is when Bruce had me and Artemis on the line talking about digging up leads. I went through Bruce's notes after he disappeared. He made it sound like he thought Cassie went after Hades herself."

Thomas hung his head. "Stupid, reckless woman. Going it alone, not thinking it through." The two sat in silence as the Batplane descended over a patch of grass Thomas glanced over the his friend. "You know right before that mission, I asked her to marry me. Did she tell anyone that?"

Nightwing shook his head. "No, but Bruce gathered as much. The ring she was wearing was kind of a dead giveaway. Bruce dug for months into where you could have been taken. Hell, he even asked Ra's for help, not that it amounted to much."

Hearing his friend's voice trail off, Thomas assumed this trip down memory lane was probably even more painful than it was for him. "Hey, Dick, I'm sorry to hear about Bruce. I know he meant a lot to you. But what ever happened to him sounds connected to my own disappearance. If I can find a thread to pull, maybe we'll find out what happened to him, and to Cassie."

"Thanks. Losing you, Cassie and Bruce so close together was tough. But you're here now, that's all that matters today."

Thomas looked out the window at the barren field it appeared the ship was landing in. "But where is here, exactly?"

"Just outside Smallville actually."

Thomas whipped his head around. "Smallville? Really?"

Dick nodded. "Yep, there's a huge system of underground caves that the Kwatche tribe used for centuries. Funny thing is though; there are Kryptonian symbols all over the place, way older than Superman's spaceship. Clark theorized that the caves might have been an old Krpytonian science post, given that somehow his dad knew to send him to Earth, and where to land the ship. He was pretty sure his people were using it to study a human population. Something about studying the effects of what the White Martians did to the earliest humans."

"The Kryptonians knew about their genetic tampering?"

"Yeah, Clark asked Jor-El about it after you popped into our world, and after J'onn spilled the beans on the whole thing. Apparently, the dust up between the White and Green Martians, and the cause of their civil war, was big galactic news back in the day. And it wasn't just the Green Martians who condemned the sister race. The Kryptonians, Daxamites, even the Oans tried to undo what they did on Earth, or at least counteract the effects."

"Cleary they weren't very successful."

Dick tapped a couple gauges to his left, double checking the readout. "Hard to say. The Jor-El AI was of the opinion that some of Earth's meta humans may be the result of one Kryptonian experiment on the Kewatche. Clark said something about a skinwalker, which always sounded very meta-y to me."

"So, history lesson aside, isn't having a base right outside the home of Superman's parents a little risky given the League is apparently trying to round you up?"

Dick paused as he brought the plan to hover just above the ground. Within seconds the grass opened up, and a landing pad rose from the ground. Setting the bird down, Dick answered Thomas' question as the landing pad receded into the earth. "Probably, but truth is, anywhere we set up shop would have a massive amount of risk given the state of things. But Diana is very hesitant to have her people go anywhere near the Kents."

"Why? Did she say she didn't like Ma Kent's apple pie or something?"

Dick suppressed a laugh. "No, but I would hope even Diana wouldn't be stupid enough to say something at foolish. But for real, they may be pushing 100, but Ma and Pa Kent could still have given a Bruce a run for righteous indignation. And Ma Kent could probably guilt half the Amazons into turning on Diana on the spot. Plus, no Amazon wants to deal with a very pissed off Connor. Even if he's had to go into hiding like the rest of us, I think Diana might still respect that his family is off limits. And lastly, not to throw too much at you all at once, but Superman and Diana had a huge falling out after Bruce disappeared." Nightwing paused, trying to figure out the best way to put what came next. "They say he went rogue. The military was called it, thinks got ugly in Metropolis. There were a lot of deaths attributed to him."

"Wait, what?" Thomas was incredulous. The Superman he knew would never have done such a thing. But Dick didn't seem to broken up about it.

"I'm of the mind he was replaced. Maybe someone got Project Match to actually work correctly. But ever since 'Superman' was publicly executed by the League, no Amazon or League member has been within 100 miles of this place."

"Don't suppose you have any proof to back that whole clone bit?" He took Dick's silence as an answer. "God, this day just gets better and better."

Dick put a hand on Thomas' shoulder as he got up. "Trust me, I know. And I'm sorry. But right now, there's nothing you can do about any of it. Not right now at least." Grayson walked to the back for the plane as the ramp started to lower. "C'mon, there are a few people who want to say hello."

A red blur blew past Dick, settling into the captain's chair. Wally had his feet up on the dash faster than either man could blink. "Yeah dude, even Todd, the surliest of surlies, might be happy to see you."

"You're damn right he would." Jason Todd strode up the ramp. He walked up to Thomas, now standing in the middle of the plane's cargo section, and punched him square in the bicep. "That's for disappearing." He extended his arm, a gesture Thomas quickly returned. "And that's for coming back."

Todd turned to Wally. "You lose 'em?"

Wally scoffed at the question. "Of course I did! The Amazons may be able to fly, but no one moves faster than the Wall-man."

"Well, then maybe the Wall-man would like to use that speed and help me get some food ready." Artemis' voice rang through from outside the plane.

Thomas ran out of the plane to greet the archer. "Artemis, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!"

Artemis hugged the younger man. "Good to see you too, Thomas."

A blur ran up to Artemis' side as the duo broke off the hug, startling Thomas for a moment. The girl, no older than 15, was clearly the archer's daughter, her giant mane of blonde hair alone making that very obvious. But seeing someone who he last knew as an infant really made it hit home just how much he had missed over the last decade.

"Iris? God, I haven't seen you since you first learned how to walk." He noticed the girl was wearing a version of Wally's old costume. "And I see you've gotten well past the walking stage."

"Darn right she has." Ollie, who managed to sneak up on the group, clapped Thomas on the back. "Glad to have you back kid!" Thomas was stunned at Oliver's appearance, in particular his missing left arm. Oliver caught the man's stare. "Courtesy of our Amazon overlords, but that's a story for another day. For now, let's go get you settled in."

"All due respect Ollie, I've slept long enough. I'd rather read up on the years I missed."

Nightwing, having finished securing the Batplane, offered his take. "Fine with me. But after we eat, I'm going to bed. Us old people need our beauty sleep, ya know? Got a big day at the office tomorrow." He put his hand up, silencing his friend's continued questions. "Yes, I have a plan, and yes you're a part of it, but right now I really need to eat." Dick turned to Jason. "You joining us tonight, Red?"

Jason shook his head. "Nah man, I'm gonna go pay my respects to T and Agent A then see what I can dig up in Gotham."

Dick shook Jason's hands. "Give them both my best. And stay safe, ya here?"

"No promises man, no promises. Flash, mind giving me a lift?"

"You got it, man." Wally quick turned to Artemis. "I'll be back in two minutes. I swear." He glanced at his three kids. "And you three had better help your mom get dinner ready for the crew. And no hogging all the food. Our new housemate can eat almost as much as one of us speedsters, so we need to make it last until another Wayne Tech supply truck 'accidentally' goes missing, got it?"

Thomas cocked his head as Wally sped off with Jason. "So he's the chauffeur?"

Dick put his arm on Thomas' shoulder, steering him toward the living quarters. "Sort of. Can't use the Zeta Tubes anymore, the radiation is too easy to track. And I'd rather not risk the Batplane unless it's a necessity. Don't want to give the League any chance to get ahold of the new stealth tech; it's probably the only thing giving up an edge right now. So, when the need arises our speedsters get us where we need to go."

Thomas shook his head as he took in the cave. "Man, this is going to take some getting used to."

* * *

 **Curious about the whole White Martian thing? Go check out Strange New World. It was the first story I wrote in this AU and delves pretty deeply into that part of the DC history. See you in a couple days for chapter 3!**


	3. Don't Kill the Messenger

**United Earth Capitol Building  
** **New York, NY  
** **July 27** **th** **, 2034**

Philippus entered the throne room with eyes firmly on the floor, not wanting to meet her queen's icy stare. The only thing she saw was the gold-trimmed red carpet leading the Amazon throne, which she knelt before to give her report. "Apologies, my queen. We failed to capture the meta human in Star City." She lapsed into silence, waiting for her ruler to respond. Phillipus knew that the commander of the Amazon army, it fell to her to ensure her queens orders were carried out on the battlefield. And tonight, she had failed.

"Why have my sisters failed, yet again, Phillipus?"

In truth, she wasn't sure how to answer. "The words are hard to find my queen. We responded to the meta human alert system installed a top of Star Labs. But when we arrived, we found only a blur of red and yellow lightning. It led us away from the city. I'm sorry my queen, but we could not keep pace with the meta."

Phillipus shuddered ever so slightly as she felt Diana step down from the throne, her voice cutting through the throne room. "Fools. He was clearly leading you away from the real prize. Did you send no one into the facility?"

"Yes, I did." She nervously replied. "But the standing priority is to capture any unregistered meta humans, is it not? The bulk of the squad was sent after the blur."

Diana balled her right hand into a fist, visibly showing no other sign of the annoyance she felt. "I suppose that whoever you sent found nothing of importance?"

"No, only an empty lab. Though, there was a large blast hole in the roof, and an empty containment station. The data was wiped from the computer, however. Our technicians were unable to uncover any information from the system."

Diana unclenched her fist, letting out a sight as she looked down on her general. "Rise, Phillipus."

"My queen?"

"I do not hold you responsible. It would have taken a stroke of luck far outmatching your skill to catch that man."

"How do you know it was a man, if I may ask?"

Diana's face darkened at the question. "Because, sister, that was the Flash you chased tonight."

The name struck a chord with the Amazon general. "You have spoken of him before. He was a member of this League, correct?"

Diana nodded. "Yes, he was, back when I still called myself Wonder Woman. But I haven't seen or heard from him in seven years, when all the others vanished. So why has he come out of hiding? What was so important that the fastest man alive put on the uniform again?" The Amazon ruler turned back to Phillipus. "Go. Bring your squad to the Hall and study all the files on the Flash. I want a weakness we can exploit by the time I return. Inform J'onn of your report as well."

Phillipus bowed her head. "Of course my queen. Should I send any of our sisters with you for your journey?"

"No, I'm going to meet an old acquaintance in Gotham. While I may expect a hostile attitude from the man I'm meeting, I don't believe there will be any physical hostilities between us."

* * *

 **Wayne Enterprises  
Gotham City**

Dick Grayson rubbed his temples, staring at the mountain of paperwork on his desk. Being the CEO of one of the only tech companies left standing made him a very busy man. So he dove into work early today, tossing his jacket aside and rolling up his sleeves. By mid-day, he had been satisfied with the dent he had made in the pile of press releases, memos and budget proposals. But the work had given him a headache, which was only made worse by the loud buzzing of his intercom.

"Mr. Grayson, sir, you have a visitor."

Dick scrambled for the talk button amidst the mess on his desk. Finding under a letter from Lucius' son he quickly pressed it. "Stephanie, I thought I said no visitors today."

"I-I'm sorry sir, but she won't take no for an answer."

"She?" Dick's question hung in the air, answered quickly by the doors to his office opening for his guest, someone whom ten years ago he would have happily greeted. Now, it took everything he had to plaster a fake smile on his face. "Diana!" He rounded his desk to meet her. "God, it's been too long!"

Diana took the seat Grayson offered. "It certainly has Dick. How's business these days?"

Dick maneuvered back to his desk, pulling up his chair as he answered. "Could be worse, could be better. But, we're still standing at least. A lot more than I can say for Kord or QI."

"Bruce would be very proud of your efforts these last few years."

Under his desk, Dick balled his fist, wanting nothing more than to punch her perfect little face fore brining him into this conversation. But he kept his face as neutral as he could. "I'd like to think so. So, what brings the UE head of state out to Gotham?

"I'll be blunt, Dick. Wally was spotted in Star City last night by one of my patrols. And he wasn't keeping quiet. He led my warriors on a merry chase through the countryside before disappearing. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

"I don't know why you think I would, I haven't spoken to Wally in, god, probably 7 years now."  
Dick knew this was bound to happen, he only hope his poker face was as good as it used to be.

"There is also a matter of a hacked computer and what looks to be a cryo pod, not unlike the one you found Superboy in all those years ago. I supposed you also know nothing of that?"

Dick leaned back in his chair. "My hacking days are long behind me, Diana."

"Good, because I would hate to have to move patrols back into Gotham to ensure you were telling the truth." The atmosphere in the room became harsh in a fraction of second.

"I don't think Commissioner Gordon would appreciate that very much."

"While I'll have to commend Barbara on her efforts to clean up Gotham all by herself these past few years, if a meta human is being harbored in this city, that cannot be allowed, even if it is Wally West. And it would be very foolish to stand against us. I think we've proven that."

"Oh yes, I'm very much aware of all the things you've done these past few years, Diana."

The Amazon leaped out of her chair, slamming a fist on Dick's desk. "Do you honestly think I don't know what you're up to, Dick. I know you've been training a new Batman, hiding in the shadows. Vigilantism is illegal, and the UE has taken a very harsh stance on punishment for acting outside the law. But I've allowed you this freedom out of respect for Bruce. Do not make me take it away."

Dick rose to meet her at eye level. The hate he tried to bury burning through his words. "Do not ever say his name to me again! You have turned what he believed in and perverted into something unrecognizable, lording of us lowly humans like mere play things. He would turn over in his grave to see what you've become. And so would Clark."

Diana couldn't help but laugh. "Of you course you'd bring up the man who got kicked out the League and went on a murder spree through downtown Metropolis."

"You and I both know that wasn't Clark Kent. Once upon a time you two were close. Could the man you loved really have done that?" Diana's silence was answer enough. "That's what I thought. Now get out of my office."

The anger in Dick's eyes gave Diana pause, making her re-think her course of action. And truth be told, the Clark subject still affected her more than it should have. "I don't know if you are telling the truth or not about Wally, Batman certainly trained you well. But I warn you, stand against the League at your own peril. Even Wayne Enterprises could end up in the grave like the rest." And the Amazon queen made her way to the balcony, blasting off in the mid-day sky.

Dick walked out the balcony, staring off into the sky. "Yeah, and how many of them did you put there yourself, I wonder."

* * *

 **Batcave  
** **Gotham City  
** **July 12** **th** **, 2022**

Alfred Pennyworth was a man of extreme dedication. His time in her majesty's army had strengthened that trait, and then again with his time as Bruce Wayne's, and Batman's, surrogate father figure. Alfred had seen more than his fair share of tragedy, but this was something else entirely. It had been a month since Bruce's disappearance. And despite there being no point, he kept returning this place, if only to be closer to the man he looked at like a son. As he ascended the steps to the computer, a familiar sound found its way to him. Master Grayson was here, yet again listening to Bruce's final message to him.

" _Dick, if you watching this then I'm gone. And before you start thinking you should have been there, stop. What I found was too dangerous to bring anyone in, even you, and judging by you watching this message, that worry was well founded. It's Diana, Dick. Something is wrong with her. I've tracked her movements for months, and I think I'm on to something. We don't know much about Diana's life outside the League, she's kept that very close to the chest, but there's a big shakeup going on in Olympus, and she's right at the center of it. Do not actively engage her, Nightwing. I'm not sure what's at play, and even if I was, you shouldn't tip your hand."_

Alfred watched as Dick sat up, closer the screen, as Bruce removed his cowl.

" _I think I found him, Dick. Thomas, I mean. I've left all notes in this file. And while I haven't seen Cassandra since that day on the Watchtower, I think she's on the same path as well. Find him, bring him home. Find Hermes, he'll take you where he took me; I made him swear that he would. And Dick, I'm sorry. I should have-well, I should have been a better man. But I am very proud of the man you've become. I've left a separate file for Jason, Damien, and Alfred. See that they get them. Waller has made me aware of something called Project: Beyond. There's a file detailing how I would want things handled, but I'll leave that to you. If I'm right, things are going to get worse, a lot worse. The League, it isn't the same. A storm is coming, Dick. Please, be ready for it. Whatever happens, don't let it change you; stop you from being the good man, and hero, that you've become. Good bye, Dick."_

Alfred could feel the tears welling up again, the wound still fresh in his mind. But Master Grayson needed someone to be there for him now; it wouldn't do to fall to pieces when other still counted on him. He put his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Master Grayson, I know I don't need to tell you this, but Bruce loved you very much."

Dick wiped his eyes. "Thanks Al. He didn't often say as much. Hell, he never did now that I think about it, but I knew."

"The day Master Bruce brought you back to the manor I wasn't quite sure what to make of the pair of you. I didn't think the Batman would have time to care for the well-being a child."

"Well, I think that part was mostly you."

"I suppose I could take some credit, but the point I was attempting to make is that having you around made him better. Not just as Batman, but as a man. It never ceased to fill my heart with joy to watch the pair of you."

Dick couldn't help but smile, memories of his time around the manor, as Robin, hangout in Wayne Tower ran through his head. But they all circled back to the day he first stepped through the huge wooden doors to Wayne Manor, thinking he'd never be happy again. "Without Bruce, I'm not sure I could ever have gotten over my parents' death."

"And that is what I am most thankful for, Master Grayson. When you first came here you were a broken child. And while I couldn't see it at the time, the perfect thing for you was man like Master Bruce."

Dick stood up from the computer chair, heading over to the left computer bank, pulling up several in progress case files. "Thanks Alfred."

Alfred stood watching the man work for a few minutes, taking his work before speaking. "I suppose the search for this Hermes has proven fruitless."

Dick sighed, not turning from his work. "Yes, just like Bruce, he's dropped off the face of the Earth. Hermes is a messenger of sorts, helping Gods send messages or teleporting between their different dimensions. Best I can figure, Bruce got him to take him somewhere, somewhere Diana had gone, but there's no record of the location anywhere in Bruce's notes. And wherever they went, it looks like it was a one way trip."

* * *

 **Rural Virginia  
June 10** **th** **, 2022**

"Good bye Zola. I will see you again soon." Hermes bowed his head as he left Zola's house.

Zola stayed at the threshold as the man left. "God, wings, smother me why don't you?"

Hermes smiled to himself, walking away from the house, looking for a place to teleport without drawing attention to his actions. He didn't want anyone to know what he had being doing on Earth today. He was certain he hadn't been followed, which is a shadow behind him caused him great alarm. He froze, reading his staff for an assault.

"It would not be wise to attack the messenger of the Gods." He whirled around, his staff finding only the evening air.

"If I wanted to attack you, you wouldn't have seen me."

The voice from behind sounded familiar. Once he turned around Hermes immediately recognized the imposing figure in front of him; the one and only Batman.

"Well met, Batman. Truly, Diana's descriptions have done you justice." Hermes felt awkward when Batman didn't reply. "How can I be of assistance?"

"Diana. What do you know?"

Batman's voice was powerful, but Hermes feigned ignorance. "I do not what you mean, truly."

"Do not lie to me Hermes. She has been acting more and more off these past few months. Surely the Olympians have noticed."

Hermes was stunned, a mortal man, prying into affairs of the Gods themselves. Such a thing hadn't happened in ages. But he couldn't deny the truth in his words. "I have noticed as well, though am unsure of the cause myself."

Batman seemed satisfied with the answer, changing questions as he stepped into the dimming light. "You've been taking her somewhere, many times from what I can tell since last winter. I want you to take me there."

Hermes balked. "A mortal making a demand of a god?"

"No, simply a man trying to find out what is wrong with one of his teammates. So, will you help me? Will you take me where you take her?"

Hermes thought on it for a moment, unsure of what to do. Tradition demanded that he refuse, but he too was worried for his friend. After all, if any mortal could help, surely it was the infamous Batman. "Very well human. Are you ready to embark?"

Batman nodded. Hermes pounded staff on the ground and in a flash the alleyway was empty. In a flash of light, the duo appeared in what appeared to Batman to be a workshop of some kind. From the description and the weapons on the wall he could only guess that it was Hephaestus' workshop.

"Is this where I think it is?"

"Indeed Batman, here Hephaestus forged the weapons of the gods. I have taken Diana here no less than seven times this past months, each time only to drop off and retrieve. We should split up to search."

"Hermes? Is that you?" A third voice joined the group from the other side of the shop. A blonde woman flew out of the shadows to toward Batman and Hermes.

"Cassandra?" It wasn't often Batman was surprised, but even he was shocked to find the missing Wonder Woman here, of all places. Nearly immediately he noticed a rather obvious difference from the last time he had seen her. He waited until she landed before asking. "How far along are you?"

"Well hello to you too, Batman." Cassandra ran a hand along her belly. "If you must know I'm about 7 months or so."

"Did he know?"

Batman's question hung in the air before Cassie slowly answered. "No, he didn't. I was going to break the news to him that night. But that didn't go as planned, if you remember."

"So you've been searching for him by yourself, while pregnant, going headlong into danger without telling anyone. A very big risk Cassandra."

"Listen, I am hormonal and not in the mood to be lectured about risks. The only person that gets to do that is my fiancée." She turned her glare away from Batman. "By the way, hi Hermes, long time no see."

The messenger bowed his head. "Indeed. I have missed 'chatting' with you at our family gatherings."

Batman reinserted himself in the conversation. "So I take it you found something?"

Cassie nodded. "I think so. And if you're here, that means we're both following the same trail: Diana."

"Agreed. Split up, search the area. Meet back in here five."

The three silently split up, scattering the different parts of Hephaestus' massive workshop. Hermes' took the lower levels, speeding quickly through, finding only empty rooms where once, hundreds of male Amazon worked the forges for their master. The emptiness unnerved him greatly. Coming across the last chamber, he hit pay dirt. Forcing open the door he found a pod, unlike anything he had seen before. A man was inside it. He looked familiar, but the messenger could not place his face.

With Batman, it was the same story; cold furnaces and strewn about weapons made the scene look grim. The lack of light certainly did the atmosphere no favors either. A scream from Cassandra pierced the air, causing both men to rush to her side.

Hermes reached her first. "Cassandra , wh-" That's when he saw it. "Oh my." He stood over Hephaestus' body. Blood had dried around the corpse.

Batman raced to the spot. He took in the pattern of the massive gash on the God's stomach and the sheer amount of dried blood on the ground.

"He's been dead for days." He knelt down to study the body more closely. "Looks like someone ran a sword across his chest, but not deep enough to kill him instantly. A painful way to go."

Hermes gripped his staff tightly, rage evident in his voice. "Whoever did this will pay for their crime."

Batman stood up from the ground. "Did either of you find anything, something to indicate what Wonder Woman was doing here?"

Cassandra shook her head, but Hermes thought back to that last chamber. "I did fine something most odd. You mentioned a missing person before, yes?" He looked expectantly between Batman and Cassandra. "I found a man in a cage in one of the forge rooms. The set up was most peculiar; I suspect mortal 'science' at work."

Batman's eyes narrowed. "Show us."

The trio were off, following Hermes to the lower chambers. Cassandra was suddenly nervous. She had spent months searching for him, was she really so close to finding him? Hermes led the group into the last room and the daughter of Zeus let out an audible gasp. There he was!

"Thomas!" She flew up to the glass, peering through the glass of the containment pod. He was exactly like she remembered. She reared back to break the glass when Batman stopped her.

"Wait! We don't know that they did to him. Breaking the glass trigger a failsafe that could kill him for all we know."

Cassandra was none too pleased to have to wait, so close to the end. "And who is 'they'?

"Who indeed?" The trio all whirled around, ready to attack the new arrival. Only Batman remained in his stance as Diana walked into the room, sword in hand. "Well, it certainly took you long enough, Bruce."


	4. Plan? Who needs a Plan?

" _Thomas!" She flew up to the glass, peering through the glass of the containment pod. He was exactly like she remembered. She reared back to break the glass when Batman stopped her._

" _Wait! We don't know that they did to him. Breaking the glass might trigger a failsafe that could kill him for all we know."_

 _Cassandra was none too pleased to have to wait, so close to the end. "And who is 'they'?_

" _Who indeed?" The trio all whirled around, ready to attack the new arrival. Only Batman remained in his stance as Diana walked into the room, sword in hand. "Well, it certainly took you long enough, Bruce."_

* * *

 **Hephaestus' workshop**

Batman shook his head, his vision slowly clearing from the muddled blur it had been reduced to by Diana's sword hilt. He tried to move, finding himself bound back to back with Cassandra. Looking up, he saw Diana staring down blankly at him. He looked up at her, trying to mask his confusion.

"Why Diana?"

"The Amazon will not answer you, Batman. She answers only to me." A voice to Batman's right drew his attention, one the Dark Knight instantly recognized.

"Savage. What have you done to Diana?"

The villain stood beside the Amazon, sneering down at Batman. "Telling you my plan would not be wise. For as certain as I am of its success, you have a talent for ruining my plans, more so than anyone else I have ever met save one other."

"Thomas."

Savage grimaced at the name. "Yes, the boy I sought to rule the galaxy. Imagine what I could have done with an army that had my own immortality! Earth would have been unstoppable. But, of course, the scientist responsible went and destroyed all the data and helped the boy escape. But look!" Savage gestured to pod containing the young hero. "My experiment is back in my possession, though now my plans no longer hinge upon him. He will, however, make what is to come a far easier process. You really should thank him Batman; his healing ability will let us endlessly experiment with the formula, ensuring that the process doesn't kill you and the new Wonder Woman. Without him, hundreds may die in the attempt. Instead, only he will have to suffer." Savage nodded to Diana who delivered another knockout blow to Batman's head. Vandal Savage knelt down to study to unconscious hero before him. "You, Batman, will be the instrument of my will, my vision for humanity. You just don't know it yet."

* * *

 **Resistance HQ  
** **July 30** **th** **, 2034**

Dick had come to the cave straight from the emergency Wayne Enterprises board meeting. And he did not look pleased. Wally and Thomas were sparring on the far side of the room as he entered and even at that distance Wally could see his friend's distress, so he sped over to see what was up.

"That bad?"

Dick nodded. "Yeah, there weren't very happy that the UE is going to do a surprise audit of our finances."

"You'll get through it, always have."

"It's different this time Wally. Before, Diana would call off the hounds, out of respect. But now? She's gone ever farther off the deep end than we thought. We're going to have to severe the ties between Wayne Enterprises and the Resistance."

Wally's face paled. "No, that's our only lifeline! Queen's out of money and without that support, how are we going to eat, let alone stock up for missions? I know you're trust fund is big, but it's not that big. We have what, maybe 6 months worth of money left? Then what Dick, then what?"

Dick was silent, knowing full well how on point his friend's observations were. For the first time in a long while, Dick Grayson was without a plan.

* * *

 **Luthor Estate  
** **Metropolis**

Lex Luthor had a tireless mind, something often overlooked amidst the money and the power. He had many inventions over the years, helping to push humanity forward at breakneck speed. But his work today was much more deliberate. This was the culmination of 8 years of work. It had to be perfect. Peering down the magnifier, he readied himself to complete the circuit, pausing only to chastise his onlooker.

"Connor, if you insist on watching my work, would you please not pace about the room. You are distracting me. I believe we have had this conversation already today. Do I have to make you wait outside?"

"Oh. Sorry." Connor Kent, Kon-El, stopped where he stood, not moving a muscle as he watched the man solder together the delicate connections. "I just get nervous whenever you try a new design."

Luthor sighed, breaking focus to turn his biological son. "I understand Connor." Turning back to his work he continued. "It hasn't been easy being stuck in this estate, I know. But since we weren't able to find your friends, you will still have to remain here until we know it's safe for you." Finishing the soldering Lex stood up from the machine, walking around the power switch. "Here we go."

Connor looked on eagerly, daring to hope that Luthor had finally succeeded after all this time. That hope was dashed as Luthor gingerly activated the machine only for it to sputter, spark, and die like all the other attempts. _At least this one didn't explode_ , he thought.

Luthor punched the table out of frustration. "Damn!"

Connor, unsure of how to proceed, opted to apply some positivity. "We'll try again, just like before. Do…do you know what failed this time?"

Luthor closed his eyes and sighed. "I don't know Connor. My understanding of this science is limited at best."

"Do you think it's time we start looking at other options?"

"Such as?"

"Well, we know Savage had to use the original one from the Fortress, right?"

"You're point?"

"My point, Lex, is that maybe we should start trying to find that one instead."

"No, it was destroyed."

The news hits Connor hard. "What, why would he do that?"

"Because I told him to." Lex hung his head, one of the few times he could ever recall feeling shame.

Connor, he just felt angry. "Why Lex, why would you send him to that place, destroy the only means to get him back and then turn around and try to help anyway?"

Luthor leaned against the table. "You know why Connor."

"No, I don't. All I got was some half-baked reason about stopping something worse from happening. And ever since then, I've had to go into hiding, been cut off from my friends and the world has gone to utter hell. So I want a straight answer!" **  
**

Luthor looked at the man, still looking like the 16 year old clone from so many years ago. "I suppose you deserve to know after all, Kon-El." Hearing his Kryptonian name seemed to calm the man down. "As you know, Savage executed a near perfect plan to discredit and capture Superman. With my help, Project Match was brought back online. And while the clone was executed publicly by the Amazons, killing the real Superman was decidedly harder. Instead, the real Superman was teleported to the Phantom Zone using his own device."

Connor was stuck on one part of the story, no matter how well he knew the facts. "Yeah, you told me all this before. Sounds like the perfect plan to me, from your perspective at least."

"The only reason it wasn't perfect is that Savage let me live. I was the only one who could figure out the Kryptonian technology to send Superman to the Phantom Zone. It was my order to destroy the device, thinking we couldn't allow anyone to retrieve him. But as soon as I saw was Savage was going to do next, I instantly regretted it."

Connor wasn't convinced. "Why, you just defeated your oldest rival and put the Light in a position to take over the world. What would make you regret that?"

"Because I didn't just defeat my oldest enemy. I also sentenced my oldest friend to a lifetime in the hell hole, and left the world vulnerable to a mad man. I should never have sent him there. And while I know he'll never forgive me for what happened to Lois, I need to get him out, for the world's sake at the very least."

"Your-your friend? He never told me that you knew who he was."

"Indeed. Clark and I were friends long before either of us became who we are today. I may have had his identity wiped from my mind when we were younger, but I put the pieces back together quickly enough. And while I may hate Superman, and what he means for humanity, Clark Kent always had my respect, even if he was a self-righteous ass half, no, make that all the time. And after I saw what Savage did to Lois, I knew his vision was wrong."

Both men fell silent as that memory ran through their minds. Her death had been the final straw, the one that turned the public so ferociously against Superman that it wasn't safe so Connor or for Kara. Finally, the young Kryptonian spoke. "So, that's why you're doing this? For her?"

"In part. Normally, I would respect Savage's maneuvering of the chess pieces, playing the public so seamlessly. But this is a touch more personal. And Savage's plan runs far darker than you realize Connor."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know the full extent; The Light grew much more compartmentalized after the Reach debacle. But what I know is that Savage is behind the Justice League's fall from grace."

"But isn't that what you wanted, to see the League fall?"

Luthor sighed. "No. Well, yes, actually, but not like this. I wanted humanity to stand on its own, not to be beholden to the direction that the League wanted to take it. I still want that, in fact. I thought Savage wanted the same thing. Maybe in the beginning he did, but what's happening now is nothing I had imagined, or intended. Savage must be stopped, and if we can't find your team, we know where Superman is, we just have to find a way to get to him. And we're going to need him to stop Diana."

* * *

 **Resistance HQ  
** **August 3** **rd**

"So there it is." Nightwing stood in uniform in front of the Resistance members that could make it. "We're cut off from any outside support thanks to Diana which means we have a very limited window to operate safely."

"Then what's the plan?" A young man, no older than 18, decked out in a futuristic Batman suit looked intently at his mentor.

Thomas stared at the new guy, whispering sideways to Wally. "What's his story? Red logo?"

Wally quickly replied in a hushed tone. "Oh right, you wouldn't know. Turns out Checkmate, before Waller took over, managed to get a sample of Batman's blood. Project: Beyond, they called it. Long story short, he's you-know-who's son"

"What about, you know, the other one?" Thomas remembered to keep their names hidden.

"Yeah, he wasn't too happy when Nightwing pegged the new guy to take over as Batman, but then again, he's a little busy to actually stop and come back to Gotham."

"Busy doing what?"

The new Batman glared at the two. "You want to share with the class?"

"Just filling our recently undead friend in on the lay of the land."

Batman turned his attention to Thomas. "Oh, yes, the new guy. I don't suppose Mr. Ice Box has any bright ideas."

Thomas smiled, rising to the challenge. "Actually, I'm so glad you asked. Turns out, I do."

Batman crossed his arms. "Then by all means, please share."

Thomas studied the younger man. "You're kind of an ass, you know that?"

"Excuse me? And who said you could even have a say in what we do. We've been fighting for years while you were gone!"

"You know, the original Batman may have been a blunt dick, but he didn't demean his teammates and he didn't turn down help when it mattered. You want to wear that symbol on your chest; you had better act like you deserve it."

"How dare you!" Even behind the mask, it was clear Thomas had struck a nerve with the new Batman. "Who are you to question me?"

The older heroes were a little shocked to see a Batman so emotionally volatile. But if Thomas was surprised, it didn't show. If anything he looked even more pissed. "Who am I? Did you not even read up on my file? Mistake #1; always know the players at the table. Your second mistake is thinking I'm just going to do what you say because you wear that uniform. I didn't unflinchingly follow the last guy to wear it either. So, are you done acting entitled?

Around the table, many of the younger heroes gasped. No one had spoken to the new Batman like that, save Nightwing, and not gotten a reprisal in the form of a punch to the face. Even Red Hood didn't get in his way.

Oliver, however, found the whole exchange hilarious. "God, I missed you Thomas. You certainly haven't lost your ability to command a room, that's for sure."

Thomas nodded in thanks. "And for a second there I was thinking maybe I had lost my touch." He looked over at the young Batman. "As I was saying, I do, in fact have an idea." He turned to Nightwing. "If Diana wants to hit us where it counts, then we need to hit back just as hard, if not harder. Put the pressure on them for a change. I hear you're gathering intelligence, setting up networks with the Shadows. I think it's time we put them to use."

Nightwing took a seat next to Batman. "You have something in mind, I take it?"

Thomas nodded. "I do. We need to show her, and the world, that the more the League tightens its grip, the more slippery total domination is going to become."

Now it was Queen's turn to pose a question. "Are you're saying what I think you're saying?"

"Indeed I am Oliver. It's time to stop being a just resistance movement. We need to start a revolution."

Batman spoke next. "And we should just follow the man who's been on ice for 13 years?" He looked around the room, gauging their reactions.

Thomas stood up, putting his hands on the table. "Unless you're telling me the word 'hero' changed definitions while I was out, then yeah, I hope you do. Because I'm going to get out there, and get back to what I was doing before this all started." He looked around the room, eyeing up the present Resistance members. "And that means stopping crimes, saving lives, and not letting the bad guys push us around. We give them an example that's actually worth following. From where I sit Diana and the League have cracked down so hard and so fast, people have gone numb to all the change. We've seen this kind of thing too much in human history, maybe not to this level, and it always turns out the same; public uprising. And I think it's high time the people of Earth got up to a little revolting."

Queen pounded the table with his fist. "Damn right! I still have some contacts in Star City we can use, and we know the Gotham commissioners okay with the masks. We start small, show people we're not afraid of the League and that there's another way; a better way."

Thomas looked over at Nightwing. "So, fearless leader, think you remember how to draw up a patrol roster?"

Nightwing smirked at the question. "Yeah, I think I might."

* * *

 **GCPD Rooftop  
** **Gotham City  
** **August 17** **th**

Commissioner Gordon hated these kinds of nights. The heat and the humidity always accompanied a massive crime spike. She hadn't been up on the roof in years, she mentally kicked herself for foolish sentimentality. She should be down below, coordinating her officers in the field, doing her job. She shut off the skylight and headed back to the door. But that's when she heard, or felt, something she hadn't in a very long time. Thinking what it might mean, her heart skipped a beat, but she steeled herself against her emotions, turning to face the shadows behind the door.

"Nightwing, I swear to god, if you do not come out those shadows right now, I will-"

"Dick's not coming." Thomas stepped out from behind the door. "Not tonight."

Barbara Gordon was truly at a loss for words, something her staff would certainly appreciate. "You!"

Thomas waved. "Hi to you too Babs."

"But you were dead."

"Nope. Oracle, you of all people should know how hard it is to kill me."

"How long have you been back?"

"About three weeks."

Barbara looked over her old friend, utterly shocked that he looked exactly like she remembered, except for one glaring difference. "I take it your uniform didn't survive as well?"

"No, it wasn't there when Wally and Dick found me." Thomas looked down at his mismatched ensemble of Kevlar, wet suit fabric and pieces from GA's old uniform. "It's not as stylish as my old duds, but it'll do for tonight."

"So I take it you're the man responsible for the drop in the crime rate on the east side? Last few days we've had a string of violent offenders being dropped on the Saint Mary's Hospital doorstep."

"Well, I wouldn't want to admit to such a wanton criminal activity as vigilantism to the police commissioner of Gotham City now, would I?"

"I wouldn't either, Thomas. Hell, I didn't. But my dad figured it out anyway."

"I'm sorry about your dad. Jim was a hell of a cop. Hell of a dad too, as I recall."

Barbara nodded, pulling her hair back behind her ear. "He sure was."

"Cancer's a bitch."

"That it is, Thomas, that it is."

"But to answer your original question, no, I wasn't the guy on the east site the last few nights. That was the team."

'The team?"

"Yep, we're getting the band back together. We could use a hacker."

"What about Nightwing?"

"Oh, he's good, don't get me wrong. But we all know there was no one on your level. And even if you don't come back, I need to know where you stand."

"Where I stand?"

"Dick said to keep you out of it, but if we're going to do this, we need someone on the inside, someone pulling on threads, legitimately, for us to follow. So before I tell you anything, I want to know one way or the other. Are you in?"

"Should have led with that." Barbara reached out shake Thomas' outstretched hand. "I'm in. But I'm a busy woman Thomas, so would you please get off my roof, I have a city to help run." Barbara made for the door, but turned back at the last second. "And Thomas?"

"Yeah?"

Barbara was honestly shocked he was still there. Bruce or Dick would have been long gone by now. "It's good to see you."

"You too Barbara."

The silence hung in the hair for a second too long for Barbara's comfort. "Ok, before I get weepy-eyed, would you go knock some heads in at 4th and Latimer, word is a street gang has a safe house there. I would hate for them to get bored. And mind the cameras."

Thomas mock saluted. "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

 **Steel City  
** **August 20** **th**

He was cooking dinner in his apartment when the story came on. He nearly dropped a whole pan full of sauce when he saw the photos. He scrambled for the remote, turning up the volume just as the anchor got rolling.

" _And now we bring you some unsettling news out of Gotham City. As exclusively reported five days ago, at least one vigilante, possibly more, has begun operating openly, in direct defiance of the United Earth decree that all acts of vigilantism are strictly forbidden. Steve, what's the word out of City Hall?"_

" _Thanks, Pam. Gotham City is abuzz with rumors. For the last few years, there have been sightings of the legend himself; Batman. But UE forces and the Justice League have never arrived in force to condemn either the rumors, or the possible fact that Batman is operating in Gotham once more. Many experts believe that is because they don't want to cross the man behind the mask or that they respect him enough to let him be. But today is something different. Not 5 minutes ago, the ruler of the Amazons, the former Wonder Woman, Diana Prince, landed at City Hall. We're one of the few stations on hand, but it appears that the head of the United Earth government is preparing to give an address from the mayor's office."_

" _Tell us, Steve, what's the mood in Gotham regarding the news."_

" _It's hard to say Pam. I've heard several comments on both sides. Some claim that whoever it is should be captured and arrested, while I hear others wishing more people would stand up like this man."_

" _Is there footage of the vigilante? How do they know the vigilante is a man?"_

" _Hold on a second Pam, I'll have our camera crew stream the footage now."_

Images of bloodied criminals, unconscious in alley's played out across the screen. _"Whoever he, or they, is, they've proven themselves capable of dealing a large blow to the criminal element in sections of Gotham. But as you can see here,"_ The footage cut to security footage showing a masked man shooting flames out of his hands. _"this 'man' is a meta, one with incredible pyro kinetic abilities. So not only is this man flying the face of the anti-vigilante laws, but in the face of the Metahuman Registration Act as well. And we all know the penalty for such an action. His status as a meta appears to be what set off such a response from the United Earth Government."_

" _And who can blame them? We've seen how dangerous meta humans can be."_ The man watching from his apartment clenched his fists at the remark. _"Any word on when we can expect Diana to give a statement Steve?"_

" _It appears we're being waved up now."_

Several seconds later, the feed cut to a shot of the Gotham City mayor's office. The man was stunned to Diana sitting at the desk, flanked by both the Gotham mayor and the police commissioner, Barbara Gordon.

" _Ladies and gentlemen of the press, and to the people of Earth, thank you for your patience. I have prepared a brief statement regarding what I'm well aware you are all reporting on. As you know, rumors are flying around that not only is there a vigilante in Gotham, but that he is a metahuman. I am here to tell you those rumors are indeed true."_ She paused as the press members collectively gasped. _"But that is not the important fact of the day. It appears that this meta is not acting alone. Examining the reports from Commissioner Gordon's office we have determined that there are no less than four active members of this team. We will bring them to justice. They will answer for their crimes. Now, are there any questions."_ Diana picked Steve's hand from the throng that was thrust in to the air.

" _Do we know if the other members of this team are metas as well?"_

" _It doesn't matter, Steve. Even if they are human, they are working with a metahuman, which is in blatant violation of United Earth law. Such an act cannot stand. They are dangerous people, and when cornered they will no doubt attack police, the military, even the League itself. But we must capture them, before innocent lives are lost."_ Diana picked a second hand from the crowd.

" _Why didn't the Gotham police force notice the team of vigilantes operating right under their nose?"_

Barbara Gordon stepped up to field the question. " _We're looking into the matter. It appears, however, that with the drop in crime during that stretch, the precinct in question was more joyful for the break from the recent crime wave than inquisitive into a pattern they couldn't see. This team is good. But we will catch them."_

" _Like you're trying to catch the Batman?"_

Everyone turned to stare at the question from the back of the room. A young reporter, clearly fresh out of college, suddenly felt the eyes of the room on her. The Commissioner's glare bored into her. _"You clearly are not from Gotham City, miss. If you were, you would know not to ask that question."_

Diana stood up to address the crowd. _"I believe that is enough questions at this time. Thank you."_

Suddenly the footage cut out, replaced by factured images and text, then only blackness. A single message displayed on the screen. _"The League will not save us. They will destroy us. You must resist."_

And just like that, the news was back one. It was so quick that the network hosts didn't even make note of it. But it didn't matter. What mattered was that security footage. His mind snapped back over a decade to when he worked side by side with the man in the footage. It was grainy, and dark, but he knew Thomas' powers when he saw them. But it was how he used them that had the man convinced his old friend was alive and kicking. Thomas had saved his life. Hell, he probably saved the world. And now the League, and Diana, wanted him out of the way. The man stared at the screen, the security footage from the report on a seemingly endless loop while talking heads debated the news. Suddenly, he knew what he had to do. He grabbed his emergency pack from the closet. Looking at the mirror, and the pictures of the League stuck to the side, he paused. His eyes hung on the last photo, the final group photo the League and their protégés took before the collapse. Picking it off the mirror, he folded it up and stashed it in his wallet. He looked at his reflection one last time.

"Time for Captain Marvel to get back to work." Letting his words hang in the air, Billy Batson took one last look at his apartment, turned off the lights, and walked out.

* * *

 **A/N: Please review and let me know what you're liking, or not liking, so far, thanks!**


	5. Unexpected Allies

**Wayne Enterprises  
** **Gotham City  
** **Sept. 14** **th**

Dick Grayson sat in the board room, listening to the endless droning of his staff going over the company's financial standing after the UE government's public tear on their books. It was important stuff, charts showing how the government inquiry had affected the company stock, quarterly projects way below the expectation, all things that should have his attention, but his mind was elsewhere. In his head, he was back in the cave, going over the patrol schedule, going over how to handle contact with law enforcement. A long time ago, he thought he'd buried the side of him that got nervous over big decisions. He thought wrong. The team had been successful in its first forays out in the world as vigilantes. The public resistance was less than Grayson had dared to hope, but still, most of the team was just a bunch of kids, no older than he was when he first started. And back then, there was a whole world of heroes who had his back. _How the hell did Bruce do this for so long?_

Suddenly, he felt the room turn to the door and noticed the presenter, who had been talking about ways to recoup the stock loss from the inquiry, fall silent. He looked over at the door as it opened; stunned to see the one and only Lex Luthor walk through the threshold. The room was dead silent as he entered the room. Even if he wasn't a CEO anymore, the man had a very imposing presence.

Dick stood up from his chair to greet the reclusive billionaire. "Lex, I wasn't aware you'd be dropping by."

Lex shook Dick's hand. "I was in the neighborhood, and I had a thought I want to run by you personally."

Dick gestured to the open seat at the table. "Please, take a seat. What's on your mind?"

Lex shook his head. "This is something best said in private, Mr. Grayson. I hope your board doesn't mind taking a break from what I'm sure is a fascinating presentation to give us a few minutes to talk."

The board all looked around, nodding in agreement. One by one they filed out of the room, leaving only Dick and Lex alone to talk.

"So, Lex, what brings you to Gotham City? From what I hear, you don't often get out of Metropolis."

"That's true enough. Since the aftermath of Superman's fall I have been quite busy in Metropolis, for one reason or another." Lex caught the subtle clenching of Dick's right hand at the mention of the Kryptonian. "The reason I came to Gotham was to speak with you, actually."

"Me?" Dick's eyes widened slightly.

"Yes, and it should come as no surprise. I always had a great respect for Bruce Wayne, once I saw the veracious playboy act was just that, an act, one he was very skilled at playing. He had a cunning mind, and a keen sense for business, something it appears you have learned as well."

"So I take it this is a business idea?"

"While I don't see why a little money can't be made on the back end, the main reason for the visit is a touch more personal." Luthor paused, nodding to the door behind him. "I brought someone who wishes to speak to you, in the hopes you will pass along a message."

If Dick was shocked to see Luthor walk in, he was downright stunned when a hooded Connor Kent entered the room. Luthor was studying the younger business man, looking for any hint of recognition, any sign that Mr. Grayson recognized the man. Seeing none, he smiled.

"Mr. Kent told me you were good, he didn't say you were this good, Mr. Grayson. I'm impressed, and that's saying a lot. But please, dispense with the theatrics, I know full well the relationship you two have. Mr. Kent took the liberty of filling me in."

Dick glared past Luthor at Connor. "And what did he tell you, exactly?"

"Simple, that you are, or at least were, the main civilian contact for a team of heroes. I'm hoping you still have a way to contact them."

Dick breathed an internal sigh of relief. He quickly guessed Connor's game. "I assume you want to send them a message? Tell them to back off?"

"Quite the contrary in fact; anything they could do to effectively hamper the United Earth government and the Amazons would please me to no end, Mr. Grayson."

Dick's head spun. Luthor"But I thought LexCorp was the only company still working with the government of weapons contracts, why would you risk your company's future by backing the vigilantes?"

"You know as well as I how quickly things can change in the corporate world. While my company may still be working with the government, I am no longer in charge. After my indecisiveness in the wake of Superman's death I was replaced as CEO. My research has been locked away, and my access restricted to public areas of the LexCorp grounds."

"That doesn't explain how Connor fits into all this."

"Mr. Kent came to live with me following Superman's execution at the hands of Diana. With Supergirl fleeing to the future with the Legion, I am his only living relative. As such, I offered him a place to stay. You know as well as I that Kryptonians aren't exactly welcome in public, even less than metahumans. And while the world scarcely knew of Superboy's existence, having Superman's face made Mr. Kent appearing in public a very risky proposition. But all of that is the in the past, Mr. Grayson. I've been working on a project, one that requires your vigilantes help to reach completion. If they help me, they will be helping to save the world."

"I'd need to know some actual details about this plan before I put you in touch with them, need to be sure it's worth the risk."

"While your caution is warranted given my own history, I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Mr. Grayson. I'm already uncomfortable letting you know I even have a plan, let alone divulging the entire affair."

"Oh enough, stop talking around the issue Lex." The two businessmen turned to Connor. "Dick, I'm sorry I didn't reach out sooner. But none of that matters. Luthor has a plan to save Superman and we, I, need your help to get it done."

"Wait, what do you mean, 'save Superman'? Are you saying the Kryptonian that Diana killed wasn't the real Superman?" Dick hoped he sounded shocked, even if he had been all but certain of the answer that question.

Connor shook his head. "No, that wasn't my brother. I know it. And so do you."

Luthor sighed. "Very well, if Mr. Kent is determined to share, I suppose I should as well. Mr. Grayson, what do you know of a place called The Phantom Zone?"

Dick tried to appear surprised, now convinced Luthor was thrown off the scent of him being one of the very vigilantes he was trying to find. "Never heard of it, why?"

"Because that's where Vandal Savage sent Superman, that's where Clark Kent is, and he's still alive." Hearing Superman's civilian name jolted Dick, which did not go unnoticed by Luthor. "I knew Clark was Superman even before the Justice League was formed. And I know who you are too, Nightwing."

Connor now shared his friend's surprise. "What? Why didn't you tell me you knew?"

Luthor gave a wry smile. "I just wanted to see how long you could keep the game going."

While Luthor was happy, Dick was anything but. "How long have you known?"

"As soon as Bruce Wayne was declared dead. Batman's appearances in Gotham dwindled and what reports I could find suggested he's gotten shorter and lost at least 25 pounds, not to mention there were a few more acrobatic flairs in his arsenal. When you took over as CEO of Wayne Enterprises that cemented the fact that you were the infamous Nightwing. You did an admirable job covering your tracks, Mr. Grayson, may I call you Dick?

"Mr. Grayson will do just fine." The shock was quickly turning to anger for Dick. "What do you want Luthor?"

"Simple, Mr. Grayson. I need you and your team to stage a large distraction in Metropolis as soon as possible."

"To what end?"

Connor stepped in to fill his friend in on the plan. "Luthor needs to get in the LexCorp and steal a piece of tech; the control console from the Fortress."

"What?" Dick was enraged, and all of it focused on Luthor. "What did you do to the Fortress?"

Luthor appeared unfazed. "I cannibalized much of its technology, using it to advance LexCorp in some very interesting fields of science. Unfortunately, weapons research was not one of those areas, hence my removal as CEO of my own company."

Connor stepped in keep his friend focused. "Dick, I wasn't happy about it either, but the who and the why don't matter right now. The control console is crucial to getting to the Phantom Zone. We've tried countless designs to get around the use of the crystals, but we have failed each and every time."

Dick calmed his mind to focus on the matter at hand. "What kind of distraction and when do you need it?"

Lex stepped back in. "Anything that will give me at least 15 minutes alone in the tower. There is one thing I haven't told you. With LexCorp maintaining government contracts, Diana has decided my people are not to be left without oversight. There's a legion of Amazon warriors constantly on guard at the tower. You will need to draw them away for me to succeed."

Dick put his hands on his hips, his mind racing through the possible scenarios. "That means we'll have a very big fight on our hands, I'm not sure the team could handle them in a stand up fight."

"According to Mr. Kent, it sounds as though you're team recently acquired some new, or rather, some old blood, correct?"

Connor spoke up from beside Lex. "I saw the news reports. Tell me that's he's back. Tell me you found him."

Dick nodded. "Yes, we did. But even with Thomas back in action I don't see how we can beat a whole legion of Amazons. He's strong, and a good fighter, but he's not that good."

Connor took off the hoodie, revealing the S-shielded black shirt. "We don't have to beat them, just hold the off long enough for Luthor to infiltrate the facility. Then we retreat."

Luthos looked sideways at the younger man "I don't believe we discussed you joining them on this mission."

"Unless you know of someone else who's as strong, if not stronger, than an Amazon warrior, I'm going with my friends."

"Very well, I wouldn't dare tell a Kryptonian 'no', that would be rather bad for my health I think."

Connor nodded to Dick. "So, when we find a target, we deploy the team, and contact Luthor once the Amazons engage."

Dick sighed. "Agreed. But you can't come with us Connor, not yet."

Confusion was written all over the Kryptonian's face. "Why not?"

Dick looked at his friend. "While I'm as happy as anyone that you're OK, I need you to hang back. Someone has to tell us that the Amazons have left the tower and then back us up once we draw them in. Plus, having you land smack in the middle of the fight would make for one hell of a surprise."

"Excellent!" Luthor quickly cut in. "I will be at my estate, awaiting your word." He handed Dick an old satellite phone. "This is how you contact me. Don't worry, it's untraceable. While the government is using an all new system, I still own my own network of private satellites, ones the governments of Earth was thankfully unaware of. You'll also find data on the phantom zone projector I'm working on saved to the phones SD card. I was hoping you could have Mr. Fox take a look at it, if he's still up for it."

Dick took the phone. "I'll see what I can do."

Luthor nodded and turned to leave. Connor started to follow, but hesitated. "Dick, I meant what I said. I wanted to reach out before."

Dick nodded. "But it just wasn't safe, I understand. Looking exactly like the man, the thing, that took out 47 US soldiers isn't exactly something easy to live with." He reached out to shake Connor's friend. "I would hug you, but that was never your style."

Connor vigorously returned the gesture. "Yeah, it wasn't. Tell everyone I said 'Hey', alright?"

"Will do, Con, will do."

A long pause settled between the two men. Finally Connor turned to leave, following Luthor out of the room. "I'll see you guys soon."


	6. Bare-knuckle Brawl

Thomas landed on the old Daily Planet roof, sitting down on the ledge next to Nightwing, who was busy scanning police frequencies on his wrist computer. "Gotta say Nightwing, not such a huge fan of this plan."

"Well you're the one who wanted us to go out and the hero thing in public."

"Yeah, but I didn't think that would include going along with Lex freakin' Luthor."

"Desperate times, Thomas. I'm not exactly in the trusting mood myself, especially when it comes to Luthor, but if Connor says it's legit I'm willing to play along, for now at least. Besides, if he can do what he says he can do then we need his help."

Thomas sat silently beside his friend. Suddenly a chirp from Nightwing's computer grabbed his attention and voice came over the radio static.

" _Attention all units, code 19 in progress. Shots fired at Metropolis National Bank, suspects have reportedly fled the scene, traveling in two black SUV on 4_ _th_ _Ave. All units respond."_

Nightwing routed the radio signal to his ear piece, hopping up to his feet. "Well, that's our cue."

"Code 19?"

"Hostages." Dick put his hand up to his ear, making sure he heard the dispatcher correctly. "There are five gunmen, four hostages. If we head through White St. we should cut them off at a construction site."

While Dick readed his grappling gun Thomas readied to jump. "Race you there."

Dick shook his head as Thomas leapt from the ledge _,_ using his pryokinetics to control his descent to the ground.

* * *

The largest of the hostage takers was panicking in the back seat. "The cops are right on us, man!"

The driver wasn't having it. "Maybe if you're dumb ass hadn't fired into the crowd we could have got away clean!"

The man in the passenger seat popped a clip into his assault rifle after an ammo check. "Doesn't matter. Get your heads in the game boys! We got some cops to put down!" Suddenly, a red blur blew past the SUV, cutting off the man, the wake rocking the vehicle from side to side. "What the hell was that?"

" _Did you guys see that?"_ A voice from the second SUV came over the radio.

Before anyone could answer, a wall of flames erupted in front of both vehicles, forcing them to take a sharp left. The two vehicles came together along the paneling, smashing through the hazard barriers into a construction zone. The gunmen and hostages alike looked at each other in terror as the engines started on fire, forcing them all from the SUVs. The gunmen firmly grabbed the hostages and led them through the construction, ducking under scaffolding, trying to find a place to hide from whatever was chasing them. Rounding a corner the group came to an abrupt halt in the center of the site as Nightwing was in their way. The gunmen quickly trained their guns on him, their leader dropping his hostage and advancing, not noticing the GNN helicopter directly above.

"I thought you hero types were gone."

Dick smirked. "Not gone, just waiting for some dumb idiot to take hostages in the middle of Metropolis."

Suddenly, Metropolis patrol officers surrounded the group, guns drawn. Nightwing put his hands up to draw their attention. "There doesn't need to be any violence, not if you don't want any."

The gunmen took another step closer to Nightwing. "You know as well as I do, 'hero', that they're going to arrest you along with us. They don't want you here."

"I refuse to believe they would want innocent people to get caught in the crossfire if it meant take me in." Dick looked around at the police, heartened to see several of the officers holstering their pistols. "Besides, taking down bad guys is kind of my thing. I think that puts us on the same side at least for today."

Seeing the police backing the vigilante, the gunmen knew his time was limited, and that they'd come for him first. "So what's to stop me from taking you down first, 'hero'?"

"See, I wouldn't call myself a hero, more like a magnet."

"A what?" The red blur cut him off again, and took his gun. Soon, the blur came to a stop next to Nightwing, holding all five rifles, back up pieces and knives the men were carrying. The hostage taker froze as the blur moved yet again, this time relieving the gunmen of their hostages before returning to Nightwing's side and waving at the criminals. "What are you, some kind of meta?"

Another criminal offered an answer. "I-I think that's the Flash, boss."

"Yes, it is." A booming voice drew the group's attention skyward as Diana and a troop of Amazons descended.

Upon seeing the Amazons the gunmen surrendered, running to the police instead of facing the punishment they knew Diana would offer. The Amazons quickly moved to surround Nightwing and The Flash.

Diana glared at Dick. "You should have not have come here. I warned you what you happened if you went down this road."

Dick gave as good as he got. "Funny, I was about to say the same thing to you Diana."

"You will not be going home to Gotham, Nightwing. If you surrender peacefully, you will be arrested." Diana looked around at the police, clearly scared to be the vicinity of the former heroes and the Justice League. "And you, Flash. You will be going to a detention facility for violating the Metahuman Registration act."

Flash stood, as grim faced as Nightwing. "And if we don't come peacefully?"

Diana looked almost sad as she answered. "Then you know what we have to do." Before she could continue, she felt something flying towards her. Her instincts rewarded her as she ducked sideways just in time for a ball of flame to singe her hair. The Amazons turned to face the source of the flame, finding Thomas, decked out in his black and orange suit jumping out of the scaffolding and onto the dirt.

Diana's eyes widened as she recognized the man. "You!"

"Yes, me. The man you left to die down in that pit."

"You took on Hades of your own volition, and you know it."

"And you know that you don't leave one of your own behind. Ever." Thomas circled around, edging closer to his teammates. "But honestly, none of that matters. I only have one question miss tyrannical bitch; where is my fiancé? Where is Cassie?"

One of the Amazons stepped forward. "Cassandra? You seek her as well?"

Thomas recognized the warrior. "You're damn I do Artemis. I don't find it too big a stretch that your queen had something to do with her disappearance."

"A grave accusation."

"And an entirely unfounded one!" Diana cut off her mentor. "If you will not come peacefully then you leave us one choice. Amazons, attack!"

But before her warriors moved more than a step, they felt the ground shake beneath their feet. Rods from the scaffolding clanged to the ground, dusting coating them where they stood. Within seconds the trembling occurred, this time even more ferocious, threatening to destabilize the area.

Artemis tried to steady herself as the quake subsided. "What is this, my queen."

Thomas laughed at the question. "Someone she shouldn't have pissed off." He stared down the Amazon queen. "Did you really think you could show your face in Metropolis, even after all this time without him getting involved?"

Diana visibly balked as she realized who Thomas was referring to. Her fear was realized as Superboy vaulted down into the combat zone, stunning the crowd as he brought himself to a hover over the dirt before landing calmly next to his team.

"You should have stayed out of my city."

Diana drew her sword. "Do you wish to die like your brother, boy?"

"That was NOT my brother, and you know it. Do you really expect the people to believe that Superman, SUPERMAN, could do what that thing did?"

"I don't care what the people think!" Sensing the odds shifting, Diana again offered the men a way out. "One last chance to surrender; one chance to turn yourselves over to the authorities."

The heroes looked at each other, the answer evident on their faces. But before they could offer a reply several police officers parted ways for their police commissioner, who quickly surveyed the scene. "Secretary General, with all due respect, the Metropolis Police Department will no longer be involved in this farce. These men knowingly endangered their own lives and saved four hostages today. If you want to bring them in, by all means, do it yourself, but my men and I aren't in the business of arresting heroes."

The officers quickly followed their CO out of the site, leaving only the Amazons, the Resistance, and a very pissed of Diana. "Fine, if that coward will not enforce the law, then I shall do it for him. Amazons, engage!"

Diana flew straight at Thomas, dodging a blast of flame before swinging her sword at his chest as she flew past. Thomas rolled out of the way, blasting more fire balls at his opponent. Superboy and Artemis ran at each other, trading super powered blows. Diana had continued past Thomas toward Dick, who was giving everything he had to avoid the Amazon's strikes. He could only take a few moments of this, being the only human member of the fight. He just hoped this was enough time for Luthor to get what he needed. Wally was running circles around two other Amazon fighters, ignorant of the third that had flown above the fray. She ripped out an I-beam from the top of construction. Gauging Flash's speed and tactics she picked her spot, throwing the I-beam at the ground like a javelin. It struck home, diving deep in the dirt right into front of Wally, causing and, and the rest of the unprepared heroes to go blind from the massive dust cloud.

"Ahhhh!" Wally screamed out in pain as a sword was thrust through his right leg just as the dust began to clear. Thomas recovered first, not wanting to give up the fight, but he froze as he saw Diana holding the sword in Wally's leg.

"Continue fighting, and I will sever his femoral artery and he will bleed out. Now surrender!"

Dick nodded, and his two super-powered friends didn't argue as the put his hands up in defeat. The Amazon fighters moved to restrain the men. But a new voice, one that shook Diana to her core, drew their attention to the shadows under the scaffolding.

"SHAZAM!" A blast of lightning kicked up even more dirt, this time catching all the fighters in its wake. When it cleared, there was nothing in the shadows. Diana looked around wildly, unwilling to believe she had heard correctly, unwilling to believe this was going to end in defeat. She never saw the punch before it connected cleanly with her jaw, sending her crumpling to the ground with Captain Marvel standing over her unconscious body.

Captain Marvel stared down the rest of the Amazons, gesturing to Diana's body. "Take your queen, and leave. These men are leaving with me."

Artemis nodded, taking charge of the group. Two of her troop picked up their queen and flew off toward LexCorp tower while Artemis stayed momentarily to speak with Thomas.

"I am pleased to see you are not dead, as she claimed you to be."

Thomas scoffed. "Yeah, says the woman who just tried to kill my friends."

"I was only doing as my queen commanded."

"Yeah, and was it her command that no one should look for Cassandra?" Her silence stunned Thomas. "Holy crap, it was, wasn't it?"

Artemis nodded. "Yes. She said we had too much to focus on and shouldn't waste our time looking for our sister, especially one who had abandoned our ways, one who had taken a husband, no less." She looked dead into Thomas' eyes and he knew that she was telling the truth. "I swear to you, I do not know what happened to her, but I will do what I can to temper Diana's aggression toward this world. You should leave this city before she awakens; even Captain Marvel will not be able to stop the full force of the Amazons that she will bring down on your heads if you remain."

Dick nodded. "We understand."

The group watched as she flew off after her comrades as Captain Marvel picked Wally up off the ground. Marvel looked wound in his leg, still oozing blood. "Where am I taking him?"

Before Dick could answer Connor touched his earpiece, making sure that he heard correctly before speaking. "Luthor says to take him to his estate. The Amazons are busy enough trying to figure out their next move that they have taken their eye off him for the moment."

"Luthor?" A mix of shock and anger tinged the Captain's voice as Nightwing attempted to move things along.

"It's a long story Cap, but before I let you take him anywhere, I need to know if you're 100% back."

Wally was little annoyed at the whole exchange to say the least. "Dude, I am literally bleeding out in his arms and you're asking him that question?"

"You'll live. Diana knew what she was doing. Clearly, she didn't break the femur oh you'd be doing more than just moaning and she missed the major arteries. So, Cap, answer the question."

"Considering I just knocked out the ruler of the United Earth government in broad daylight, yeah, I'm thinking I'm back."

"Good." Nightwing replied, as the Batplane descended into the construction site, blocking the view of the GNN news chopper still hovering above. "Then get aboard."

As the group filed into the Batplane, Thomas caught something out of the corner of his eye. Back in the alley across the street he saw the flash of a camera lens, and the face of a dead man behind it. He turned back to his team. "Go on ahead, I'll meet you there." As he took off into the alley Dick had the Batplane back in the air.

Thomas raced after the man, finding it far too easy to catch up to him. He didn't remember Jimmy Olson being this slow in the few times they had interacted in the field. But Thomas was shocked when he found out the reason why, catching up to Olson as he was loading himself into a van, wheelchair and all, with the help of Cat Grant. The latter pulled a gun when she saw they weren't alone any longer.

"I don't know who you are or what you want, but I will pull this trigger if you don't let us leave."

Jimmy reached out from the passenger seat to put a hand on her shoulder. "Cat, put the gun down. Wouldn't do much good to shoot one of the few people on our side, would it?"

Thomas lowered his hands and Cat lowered the gun. "Hey there, Jimmy. Long time no see." Cat moved aside so they two could shake hands. "So you two must be part of that underground Green Arrow mentioned."

"You're looking at the whole operation actually."

"No shit? I've seen the stories you guys have run over the years. Couldn't have been easy."

"No, it certainly hasn't. Being the only non-League controlled media certainly has a target on our back. We've had to stay mobile for a long time to avoid detection."

Thomas looked over at Cat. "So, how was it you two got this started, exactly? I mean, last I remember, you were working for GNN, right?"

Cat nodded. "I was, but I used to work at the Daily Planet. Perry was my first boss. I had just quit GNN and had an interview for a reporter's slot the day that thing attacked the Planet, the day White died and Jimmy…ended up in that chair. The way they twisted the facts, the way they buried the truth, none of it sat right with me."

Jimmy picked up where she left off. "Lois was actually the one that started this thing, told us there was no way Superman did those things. And then they murdered her right in front of him and sent a clone to die in his place."

"And I suppose you two have proof of this?" The two looked uneasy at Thomas' question.

Cat answered first. "Jimmy has a source, one that won't give us his name. It's how we know when and where to be, when to shoot, access to hack the GNN feeds. It's got to be someone pretty high up. Our only contact is this old satellite phone." She held out the phone, which Thomas recognized, though he didn't share that with the two journalists.

"So, do you guys have a plan? Some way to fix all this?" Jimmy looked at Thomas expectantly. "I saw the Flash. He can time travel, right? Go back and stop this whole thing from happening?"

Thomas sighed. "Maybe." He looked at Jimmy's wheel chair through the open side door. "But that's a huge risk. For all we know that could create a future where things are much, much worse. Like maybe Darkseid succeeds in invading the planet, or a nuclear war breaks out, or maybe he could destroy the whole damn timeline. If it were up to me, that's not an option. There's no mulligan on this one Jimmy, this is the world we have. Now we have to try to make it better. For what it's worth, I know a guy from the old Queen Industries, got his hands some very high tech prosthetics, I'll see what I can scrounge up for you."

For a second, Thomas thought he saw Jimmy start to tear up at this explanation, probably thinking about how he might be stuck in a wheelchair forever, but he didn't break. "Thanks. But you should probably go follow your friends; they sure left in a hurry."

Thomas looked up in the sky, an idea forming in his head as he saw the GNN chopper leave the area. "I will, but first I have something I need you guys to do."


	7. Ain't No Party Like a Phantom Zone Party

**Luthor Estate  
Metropolis  
** **Sept. 30** **th** **, 2034**

Luthor shoved the still uniformed Flash back on the operating table. "If you do not hold still, this will take longer to heal."

Wally sighed. "Fine. Whatever you say, doc." He looked down as the robotic arms moved around the stab wound in his thigh. Seeing the blood soaking his uniform he could scarcely believe that his leg was healing this fast. "Tell me again what this thing is doing."

"I suppose you were a tad unconscious when I explained it to your team. It is a tissue synthesizer, capable of healing nearly anything up to death itself. Why, I was once used to rebuild a man's skull after a grenade exploded in his face."

Wally shuddered at the mental image that description conjured. "That sounds…painful."

"I'm sure the explosion was quite painful, however brief he was conscious enough to feel it. But the man healed, as will you. Thankfully, I've found the machine to do its job without any pain in the few times I've needed to use it."

"You've used this thing?"

Luthor walked around the table, studying the readout on the computer at the foot of the bed. "Of course, mostly minor organ repairs and a small bout of skin cancer. When I realized where things were headed down the road we are now on I started researching ways to extend my life. After all, I want to be there to see humanity assert itself again its oppressors. This machine has allowed me that luxury."

"Regardless of your motivations, this is some pretty impressive tech, even for you."

The gray metal doors slid open for Nightwing, Connor and Thomas, as they came in to the room to check on their friend. Luthor nodded to acknowledge the Flash's compliment. "Indeed. But unfortunately, this is has become a side project due to my work on the Phantom Zone problem."

Nightwing was all business. "Then I take it you got what you need from LexCorp?"

"I did. In fact, I already tested the device before you brought in your friend. So, who among you will be heading into the Phantom Zone?"

Wally sat back up. "Hey, who said anything about having to go _into_ the Phantom Zone? Can't you just pull him out?"

Luthor shook his head. "No, someone needs to go there, find Superman, and activate a beacon I've built that will recall the wielder, and anyone touching him, back to our world."

Connor stepped forward. "I'm in."

A brief flicker of sorrow seemed to pass Luthor's face. "Very well. I guessed as much."

Nightwing turned to his friend. "You sure, Con? Hearing it some Supers, it's a pretty brutal place, especially for a Kryptonian. And correct me if I'm wrong, but your powers won't work there."

Connor held his ground. "Doesn't matter. He's my brother. I'm not leaving him in there alone.

Thomas put a hand on Connor's shoulder. "Yeah, and I'm not letting you go in alone either." He turned to Luthor. "So, when can we leave?"

"As soon as you two are ready, assuming no one else will be joining you. And what of Captain Marvel?"

Dick crossed his arm, his face barely betrayed the annoyance of sharing the plan with Lex Luthor. "We can't lose Marvel. If the worse comes to pass, I think he might be the only shot we have of taking Diana down. From what we saw, the Amazons aren't all on board with their new queen's direction. But we can't take that as a fact. You two" Dick nodded Thomas and Connor. "should go in and bring Superman back. Maybe once he's here, proving that whoever they killed wasn't the real Superman, then we can really start getting people to see through the facade."

Thomas snapped his fingers before pointing at Dick. "Oh hey, speaking of, I have a few things to run by you for while Connor and I are gone."

Nightwing arched an eyebrow. "Such as?"

A mischievous looked crossed Thomas' face. "Just some things that ought to piss Diana right the hell off."

* * *

It took Luthor an hour to prep the Phantom Zone projector, resetting the components from his last successful test. Once the pieces were set, he handed Connor a small circular device.

"Activate this once you have Superman, anyone within five feet of the device will be sucked back through the portal."

Connor looked at the small piece of metal. "You sure this will work?"

"As sure as I can be, given the small sample of data I have to work with. But the last test subject, a small rat fitted with an automated version of the same device, managed to be pulled back through the device without harm."

Connor clenched and unclenched his fists, nervous as he stood on the platform next to Thomas while Luthor made his final preparations, something his old teammate noticed.

"Don't worry about it Con, we'll be fine."

"Yeah, nothing like another dimension full of Kryptonian prisoners that want to kill us for sport to make me feel fine."

Thomas stifled a laugh. "Well, I see your sarcasm certainly has come a long way since I've been gone."

A cough drew their attention to the console as Luthor came around the device. "Are you two ready?" The duo nodded. "Then I wish you luck."

Luthor threw the switch on the machine, which whirred to life. A light at the base began to pulse, growing wider and brighter as the seconds passed, focusing on the platform beneath the two heroes. Suddenly the light exploded around the room causing Lex to shield his eyes despite the protective eyewear on his head. After it passed he found the spot where Thomas and Connor were standing was barren, just like the tests.

For Thomas and Connor the transition was a bit more than a flash of light. Immediately, wind smacked them in the face, causing them to stumble backward and to shield their eyes from the dust that filled the air. Their eyes adjusted to the light as they took in their surrounds. It was like a rocky desert, the ground more grey than brown. The air was dry, like the place had never seen a drop of moisture. A blue sun hanging high in the sky made the bleakness somehow even harsher. There were a group of rocky hills in the distance which drew their attention. Thomas pointed in their direction, shouting over the wind at Connor.

"We should head there; see if we can't find some shelter from this wind!"

Connor nodded and the duo set off at a jog toward the hills. To Connor it felt like hours had passed as they crossed the rocky soil. He had never felt this drained, at least not since Parasite had sucked out his powers twice within a few hours. Luthor had warned him about the Zone effect on his powers, in hindsight, maybe they should have sent someone who wouldn't have to worry about feeling so weak, someone used to not having powers in the first place. Thomas, for his part, was struggling as well, but not to the extent Connor was. He had a whole life's worth of experience without superpowers, so the loss of them wasn't felt as much as someone, like Connor, who had been born with them. The two rested on the base of the hill, gathering their breath on the ground.

Thomas looked up at the sky. "I see what you guys meant about time being weird here. That run felt like an hour, at least, but that sun hasn't moved at all since we got here."

"Clark's notes and the little data we could get from the Fortress crystals say time pretty much doesn't move here at all. So all the prisoners are essentially immortal, in a way."

Thomas shook his head. "That's just weird. Why would Jor-El make a prison without time?"

"Jor-El didn't make this place, not from what we could gather. He discovered it, viewing it as a more humane prison than placing people in suspended animation with nothing but their own thoughts and the Council's reconditioning to pass the time through their sentence."

"So he basically just discovered a pocket dimension?"

"Well, he was Krypton's greatest scientist. He built a lot of infrastructure for the prisons, but it seems to have been all decayed without any Kryptonians to keep it intact."

A sharp, shrill sound made both men snap their heads to the left. Another made them in the opposite direction. A hood figure rounded the rock to Thomas's right, but came no closer, freezing in place. But more beings followed, surrounding the two men who quickly got to their feet and in to a back-to-back stance, circling to face their multiple opponents. The cloaked people rushed in, going for Connor first, tearing at the S symbol on his shirt. He spun away from the first, clocking the being with a shot to what he hoped was its jaw. Thomas ducked under another, lunging upward to latch on, using its own momentum to assist in a takedown. But their efforts proved in vain as they were quickly surrounded by even more cloaked figures. Connor watched Thomas was clubbed on the back of the head by a rock, falling to the ground in a heap, just before his own vision went black.

Connor awoke with a groan to find his face laying against the ground. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the dimness of the hut he was in. His eyes finally focused and he saw he was in a cage, like the ones ringing the room around him. He looked around, his eyes falling on the unconscious form of Thomas, his hair matted down with blood from the rock the beings used to subdue him. But he could see the rise and fall of his chest, so he knew that Thomas was alive. His relief was short lived as the cloaked figures came through the door, fanning out as their apparent leader followed behind them. Connor instantly recognized the goatee'd man, rage rising up as the full breadth of the situation came crashing down around his ears.

"Zod."

The Kryptonian general smiled. "Ah, Kon-El, how good of your people to send you to me. I have waited for this reunion for a very long time. And you even brought a friend. It will be fun watching you two fight to the death."

"What?"

"You heard me, half-breed. I don't know why you are here, but given you are responsible for third time I have been sent to this forsaken hell hole, I just want to watch you die."

"I just want to know what you've done with Kal-El."

"Kal-El?" The name surprised Zod. "He's here? In the Phantom Zone?"

"He's been here for 10 years. Are you really going to tell me that you haven't seen him."

"Ten years?" The specific time frame jogged his memory. "We knew that someone was sent here from Jor-El's machine, but we found no trace of the creature when we arrived at the entry point." He looked down at Connor. "But it matters little. He's obviously long hidden himself and in no position to save his little brother. Perhaps I'll have your corpse displayed atop the camp, so he can see it if he ever comes near. That's the beauty of the Zone; your lifeless body will never decay, always bearing the message of our hate for the House of El." Zod walked over to the cage holding Thomas, who was starting to stir. "We will wait to have you killed until he is well enough to fight. And if he doesn't kill you, I will, Kon-El. Neither of you will leave this camp alive."

As Zod turned to leave, he was followed by the cloaked men. Connor studied them as they left, stopping on a man who appeared to be staring at him, lingering for a moment before joining the rest of the comrades outside. Alone yet again Connor scrambled for his boots, grateful that while caged, his hands weren't bound. Clicking his heel in, he sighed in relief to find Luthor's recall device still safely intact. But Thomas was too far away to use it so they could both go home. He popped the compartment back into place; resigning himself to wait for the right moment, because if they couldn't bring Clark home, at the very least he wasn't leaving his friend behind to die.

* * *

 **Location Unknown  
Sept. 30** **th** **, 2034**

Alarms went off in the science wing of the bunker. The lead scientist scrambled to the old computer station in the corner, her eyes widened in surprise as the display lit up. She turned around for the phone, only to find Vandal Savage, imposing as ever, standing right behind her.

"Oh, sir. I was just about to call you down."

"What is it?"

"I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like after all this time someone managed to send something, or someone, to the Phantom Zone, sir."

"The source?"

"Hard to get a pinpoint location, but the satellite first picked up the energy surge somewhere in Metropolis."

Savage's brow furrowed. "So, Luthor has betrayed us."

"We can't know for sure it's him without checking."

"Lex Luthor is one of the only men on Earth who could build a way into that dimension. It is undoubtedly him. But it matters little, are the clones ready?"

The scientist nodded. "Despite the lack of a telepath-"

Savage cut her off. "Malefak's work's with the Amazons is more important, even more than what we're doing now. His abilities would certainly have been useful for the project, without question, but not entirely necessary. As it stands we could have not accomplished our more public mission without his intervention."

The scientist was almost derisive in her response. "Well regardless of that, sir, the new training method for the clones has proven more stable than we'd hoped. They passed all the stress tests we could throw at them, which isn't surprising given the source material."

Savaged nodded. "Indeed. Continue monitoring Metropolis for any further dimensional energy spikes, doctor. I want to know when whomever Luthor sent returns."

"And the clones, sir?"

"See that they're ready to deploy on a moment's notice. Given the events with these heroes and the Amazons, it appears a rebellion is brewing, one we need to stomp out before it starts."


	8. Are You Not Entertained?

**A/N: Sorry for the nearly month long delay between posts, I'll try not to let that happen again. Anyway, here's chapter 8! Let me know what you think in a review!**

* * *

Thomas propped himself up against the makeshift bars of the cell, still trying to get his head around the turn of events since their arrival. He winced as he touched the gash on his head and felt some rudimentary stitching. He cursed the Zone's effect on his healing factor, and his other abilities.

"How long was I out?"

"Hard to say. Sure wish we'd brought an atomic clock or something."

Thomas stood up, making his way to what looked like the cage door. "What the hell is this stuff made out of?"

"Probably left over from a prison, maybe this camp was the prison, back when Krypton was still around."

Thomas was about to reply when a hooded figured entered the room, taking a guard position by the door. Connor and Thomas eyed the figure warily, now knowing they couldn't speak openly about a plan, if they managed to come up with one. Turning to face Connor's cell across the room Thomas got back to the matter at hand; the situation Connor had filled him on once he'd woken up.

"So it's a death match?"

Connor nodded. "Pretty much. But no matter what, we both die. I kill you, Zod kills me. You kill me, Zod kills you. Not exactly a great start to our rescue mission."

"From what you said Clark made damn sure Zod and his people never found him. He always a smart son of a bitch, going to make him even harder to track down than we thought."

"Wouldn't we have to get out of here first?"

Thomas rattled the cage door, drawing the attention of the guard. "Oh don't worry Con, I don't plan on dying in this Kryptonian hell hole."

Connor stood up, coming to the bars at the edge of the cage. "Then I suppose you have a plan?"

Just then the hooded figured stepped forward, causing Thomas to berate the figure in his usual way. "Is there something I can help you with?"

* * *

Zod tightened the belt on the bottom of his chest plate as his second in command, Faora, entered the chamber. "There is a door, you know, or a flap at least."

But his second was not to be deterred. "An El is here, and you haven't taken his head."

He turned to glare at his wife, years of festering malice evident in his tone. "That boy will know the full measure of my hatred before he dies. Of that, you, and the rest of our followers, can be assured. Do not question me on this."

Zod's quick rebuttal clearly surprised Faora, who decided her current line of questioning would get her nowhere. "And what of the human?"

Zod picked up the sheathed sword off the dressing table in front of him, tying the belt around his waist. "The human and Kon-El will fight each other to the death in front of the men. It has been a long time since the last of the prison holdouts died, it would do well for the men to remember what death looks like. After all, we'll have to go hunting once this is done."

Faora's surprise turned into confusion. "Hunting?"

Zod double checked the tightness of the sword belt before turning to face Faora. "Kal-El has been in the prison for a very long time, without his ever knowing. That is over. Soon, we'll have his head on the spike right next to Kon-El's."

Faora kneeled before him. "As you command."

* * *

Thomas stumbled as the rope attached to his wrist was yanked forward. The dry dust kicked up in his face, causing a coughing fit. Regaining his breath he wished he could kill the man in front of him with his glare. "When I get out of these bindings, you're really going to regret that, pal."

Beside him Connor shook his head. "Maybe we shouldn't antagonize the men leading us to our deaths? They do have weapons, after all."

Thomas eyed the daggers hanging off the hip of each of the two men in front of him. "Yeah, and so what? They're not going to do a damn thing, not when Zod said we have to fight each other."

A swift uppercut took Thomas' breath away. Thomas gasped for breath, grabbing on to Connor for support. Once his airflow returned to normal he returned to glaring at the man pulling his rope. "Like I said pal, keep it up, and you're gonna die today."

Connor looked over at Thomas. "Pretty sure it's always the same day here, just saying."

"Shut. Up."

The pair was pulled down the hallway, away from the cells. That's when they heard it, a slow, rhythmic drum beat that got louder and faster as they were shuffled down the corridor. Screaming voices and stomping soon accompanied the drums, and the duo could tell they were nearing the fighting pit. The light from the fires around the pit streamed through the flaps in the doorframe. Their guards held back the tarps to the pit and as they two men entered the drums, the stomping, and the yelling suddenly ceased. Thomas and Connor stared around the room, circling around to see the six dozen or so men all circled around them on raised platforms. Both heroes stopped when they saw the throne, and the man sitting on it.

Zod was smiling sadistically as he took in the sight of the bound prisoners in front of him. "The look on your faces is one I will cherish long after your deaths." He stood from the throne and approached the prisoners, his left hand never leaving the hilt of his sword as he circled around them. "My men haven't been able to watch one of our enemies by for a long time. The prisoners who refused to unite under my rule all died fight here." He pointed down at the ground beneath their feet. "Their blood soaked the floor this pit. Some fought, held out for what seemed like ages before we captured them, but in the end they all died, just as you both will." Anger crept into his speech as Zod closed on Connor. "And once your bodies lie broken in the dust, we will find Kal-El and we will give him the same fate as his half-breed little brother."

Connor met Zod's rage with a steely calm Thomas could scarcely remember the half-Kryptonian ever possessing. Seeing he wasn't going to get a rise from the younger man, Zod returned to his throne. The hooded man who had been leading Thomas stepped forward, brandishing a pair of short swords, which he tossed on Connor and Thomas' feet before using his dagger to quickly recover the restraints on both men's wrists. Once done, the man took up a guard position on Zod's left. In the center of the pit Connor and Thomas stared down at the blades in the dirt, goaded on by Zod.

"Pick up the swords."

Thomas slowly kneeled down, picking up the sword with his left hand. He stood back up, taking a few swings to feel for the weight of the weapon. He looked at the blade, keeping his friend in his field of view. "I want your word Zod, that if one of us kills the other, the survivor gets a clean death. No torture, no games, just a quick, painless death."

Connor saw Zod nod and quickly scrambled for his own blade. Backing away from Thomas, fear was evident on his face. The crowd erupted into a rage once more as both men circled each other. Connor could barely hear his friend as he spoke, just a few feet away.

"I'm sorry Connor, but it has to end this way."

Thomas lunged forward, slashing from the left. Connor parried the blow and sidestepped around the ring to avoid another strike. He didn't question, he fully understood why Thomas had attacked. They both knew how sadistic Zod could be. But that didn't make what was yet to come any easier.

Another slash across his body forced him out that particular spiral of depressing thoughts, just in time for him to yet again knock the blow aside. This time Connor followed the parry with a jab of his own, causing his friend, his opponent, to jump backward, halting Thomas' momentum. Connor could see Thomas eye him up, could see his friend's mind planning out dozens of scenarios. Even without his powers, Thomas was a deadly opponent, but so was he. The two charged simultaneously, their swords clashing and sliding all the way down to the hilt. They stood eye to eye for a moment, at least until Connor headbutted Thomas, causing blood to gush from his nose. Thomas retaliated by charging under the sweeping arc of Connor's attack, tackling him to the ground, but was sent flipping over as Connor caught him in the midsection with a knee. He expertly landed from the flip, staying low to the ground several feet from Connor, who rolled over to face him. The two stood back up and the crowd grew restless, until Zod raised a fist.

"I do believe you're supposed to kill each other."

Thomas smirked. "In fairness, we've both been trained by Batman, so this was never going to be over in a heartbeat."

"Oh."

Connor nodded. "Yeah, I mean, we're pretty evenly matched without our powers. I figure we could probably fight another, what, 20 minutes, before we both were too exhausted to fight?"

Zod laughed. "If you're both unwilling to kill the other, then we'll find some alternative ways to get our entertainment."

Now it was Thomas' turn to laugh. "Oh, you think you're going to be the one hurting us?"

Zod's demeanor hardened. "You have no idea the pain we will subject you to, to both of you."

The lone guard to Zod's left threw back his hood. "No, you're the only one going to be hurt today, Zod." The guard punctuated his statement by ramming his dagger into Zod's shoulder, pinning him to the throne before running to Connor and Thomas.

Zod looked at the dagger hilt in shock, unable to move from the chair. His mind reeled, he knew the man who had stabbed him. "Kal-El."

While Connor scrambled for his boot heel, a heavily bearded Clark looked back at Zod. "Sorry about the shoulder, but I couldn't exactly let you hurt my brother."

With their leader unable to fight, Zod's men dove down from the rafters, trying to get to the prisoners, but a blinding flash of light from the center of the pit caused them to shield their eyes. But once the light died down, only empty ground remained where the three had been standing.

* * *

 **Metropolis**

Back in Luthor's mansion, Lex was staring at the machine, praying it hadn't in some unknown way failed, stranding the two men he'd sent into the Phantom Zone. It had been days since they'd gone in, much to Flash and Nightwing's dismay. If they had lost not only Superboy and Hawkeye, not to mention permanently stranding Superman in that dimensional prison, then the world was truly doomed. But while Luthor closed his eyes in though the machine suddenly began humming, sending Luthor scrambling for his goggles. He strapped them on just in time, as the light from the dimensional transporter filled the room. He ripped them from his head as he took in the sight of not just the two men he'd sent in, but Superman as well.

"And here I was half thinking Zod would have killed you by now, making this whole thing utterly pointless."

Clark looked at Lex, clearly shocked to see his old rival coming to his rescue. "You?"

"Yes, me. Who else could build a dimensional portal to an intergalactic prison to save your stupid hide?"

Clark looked to his right, hoping to get answers from Connor.

Connor looked unsure how to respond. "There's a few things to catch you up on."

Thomas piped in. "Yeah, like me not being dead, or that Diana's about ready to destroy the damn world. Oh, and Lex is not actually the bad guy anymore."

Lex grabbed a box he'd left sit by the machine and walked up to Clark. "Regardless of how I feel, last I checked, saving the world is job for Superman. The only question is, does he still have it in him to be that man?"

Luthor tossed Clark the box and the Kryptonian flipped up the lid. He nearly dropped it when he saw what it was. One gush of wind later, Superman stood in front of the group, hovering above them.

"No matter what came before Lex, the world needs savings. And I'll always try."

Lex looked up at his old friend turned enemy. "Good. One question though, do you plan on keeping the beard?"


	9. A Watery Grave

**April 2026 - 8 years ago  
Just outside Atlantis**

Black Manta watched the monitors closely, constantly battling back and forth which action he and ship would take. Atlantis, the crown jewel of the underwater kingdoms, was about to fall. The only question was if its people would die alongside the ancient city. When the explosions rocked the water, causing the camera's to short out, Manta flipped the comm button on the arm of his chair.

"This is Manta, all crew, prepare to move out."

* * *

 **10 minutes earlier**

Arthur Curry had been awake for 27 hours, ever since the first nuclear sub was detected entering Atlantean territory. He sat back in his throne-like chair on the raised platform overlooking the sprawling war room. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, letting the tension of the situation wash over him. After that first sub had arrived three more followed, then fifteen more in the last few hours, each bearing the same message as the last: Surrender to the UN forces or be destroyed. The attack fleet quickly established blockade around the city, cutting off all communication with the outside world, including the Justice League, not that Arthur felt he could count on their help.

Massaging his left temple, Arthur had missed the arrival of his wife, Mera, and his 14 year old son. Her voice pulled him out his thoughts.

"I can't believe it's come to this."

Arthur stood up from his chair. "After what they did to Clark I figured this day would come." He looked out of the room of Atlanteans trying to coordinate evacuations efforts around the blockade. "But I didn't think it would happen like this.

Mera wrapped an arm around her husband. "What happened to Clark at least made some sort of sense, given what he did. But this is beyond all reason. Why are they doing this?"

Arthur leaned his head down against his wife's. "If they had done to you what they did to Lois, I would have done a lot worse than Clark managed to before they brought him down." He reached down to the touch pad in front of him, calling up the current map of the UN deployment. "And I assume you heard the latest headlines about my 'outbursts' at the UN?"

Mera nodded. "Officially withdrawing from the United Nations, and swearing at the Secretary General certainly does make the news. But how could such a rift have formed between the two of you?"

Arthur sighed. "Diana's been going down a dangerous road for years, dragging the world along with her. After Thomas' death she became ever more hard headed, which is definitely saying something. Without Batman to keep her in check, I couldn't stomach it anymore. Atlantis and the Amazons may have never been on the best of terms, but I always thought we were on solid ground. Now I know better."

A flurry of activity caught the king's attention and he swam over to the disturbance, finding one of his generals trying to handle the problem.

"What is going on general?" When the man didn't respond, Arthur grabbed his shoulder. "General?"

The man turned, a look of abject horror across his face. His voice was whisper quiet as he answered his king. "We-we fired on one of the subs, sir."

Realization dawned on Curry. "Oh no." An explosion rocked the war room, and thanks to the massive bay window Arthur didn't need an analyst to tell him what happened, they were being bombarded. He turned to his troops.

"Sound the evacuation."

The same general seemed to snap out of his state. "But what about the blockade? They'll be cut to pieces by the enemy forces!"

Arthur whirled around. "They'll all die here if they don't try! Now order the evacuation!"

"Arthur!" Mera's cry from the platform reached his ears, and he turned in time to see soldiers in black armor knocking his wife and son unconscious and carrying them toward the exit. In a rage he sped after them, but with his speed in the water, he was only slowly closing the gap. He followed the men around the corners of the palace and out into the training grounds where Mera taught school. Out in the open, he saw them, laid out on the ground, guns pointed at their chests, their hands tied to the training posts in the middle of courtyard. Arthur stopped, knowing that if he charged they would cut down before he could get more than a few feet. He cursed his inability to use magic. If Kaldur'ahm still lived, he would have found a way to rescue them. But his self-recriminations were put on hold when he saw a torpedo flying through the water above him, cutting a path directly for the palace. When it found its target the concussive wave sent him flying past his wife and son. He slammed into a marble column, cracking it from the force of the impact. He looked up in a daze to see the palace crumbling, giant pieces crashing to the ground. Arthur pushed off from the pillar, desperate to reach his family before they were crushed to death by debris. The dust cloud hit him just before he could reach, but still he pressed through, hoping he hadn't lost them already.

* * *

Arthur groaned as the light, dancing off the metal around him, hit his eyes. He tried to sit up, to figure out where he was, but a blinding pain in the back of skull put those plans to rest. His eyes widened suddenly, remembering his goal.

"Mera!"

But the only response was a deep metallic voice just outside of field of vision. "She didn't make it Arthur."

In the recesses of his mind, Curry placed the voice. "Manta." He couldn't turn to face his attacker, but the rage in his voice told his foe all he needed to know.

Manta ordered a guard to bring a chair, and he sat down directly in Arthur's line of sight, removing the large, bulky helmet and letting it drop to the ground. "I tried to save them, but then only one I found in the rubble was you, Arthur."

"Liar! You killed them! It was your men who took them!"

Manta sighed. "No I didn't. I gave no order, and none of my men left my ship. For Kaldur's sake, I gave my crusade of hatred. I haven't come near you or your city in years, why would I attack you now?"

"I don't know."

"Then let me tell you." Manta stood up, helmet in hand. "The only thing that matters now is the preservation of our race, regardless of the side we used to be on. But I know the pain of the loss you're feeling all too well, so for now I will carry that burden for you." Manta turned to leave, pressing a button of the door frame to open the metal doors. "When you are ready, I have a physician who may be able to do something about your arm."

Arthur watched him leave before look down at his arms, horrified to find his left foreman, from halfway down from his elbow, was gone. Only a heavily bandaged stump remained. Tears welled up in Curry's eyes as yet another gruesome reality was piled atop what he felt was insurmountable grief. He laid back into the medical bed, trying to focus on anything other than the missing arm, or his dead family. But that was much harder than he cared to admit.

* * *

 **A/N: You're damn right we're getting hook hand Aquaman, always thought that version of the character was pretty boss back in the JL/JLU days. Please review!**


	10. The Demon's Head

**Hey guys, sorry about the delay on this story. Life has a funny way to slowing things down sometimes. But I'm still working on this one, so don't worry! Got another flashback chapter, one that turned out quite a bit longer than I originally planned so I'm putting it out on it's own. We'll be back to the regular 2034 part of the story next time.**

 **BREAk-BREAK**

 **The Himalayas  
March 24** **th** **, 2032**

Ra's al Ghul worked feverishly to light a fire in the back of the mountain cave while his daughter, Talia, stood watch at the cave's hidden entrance. The former head of the League of Shadows hadn't had to use this particular cave in nearly 400 years, not since Darhk staged his coup, but being a cautious man by nature he'd made sure to have men stock many of the mountain caves with survival necessities since that event, replacing the supplies every decade or so. He was pleased to see the last stock of wood, replenished probably before his second daughter, Nyssa, fled the League, was still dry. When the small log began to smoke from the friction his mind ran back through the drastic turn of events over the last 12 hours.

* * *

The morning had begun much the same as it had over the last three hundred and seventy five years of his current reign in Nanda Parbat, with the soldiers of the League of Shadows honing their skills against one another, the rhythmic sound of their training providing the backdrop to his morning meal. Finishing off his tea, he found his usual place on the floor and began his morning meditation. After several minutes of breathing exercises the sound of his men training changed, ever so subtly. Almost instantly he could tell that something was amiss. He quickly grabbed both his robe and sword, swinging open his chamber door to make his way toward the training ground. Flinging the heavy black fur robe to brace for the cold, he found his daughter had joined him, leaving her own quarters due to the sound of conflict in her home.

The two ran down the halls in silence, the sound of swords clashing and now men screaming growing louder with each step. Ra's nodded to his daughter as they reached the ancient wooden doors to the training ground. Talia followed his lead, taking the door on the right. Pushing with all their might the duo managed to open the heavy wooden doors, but just as they did so, the sounds of battle died down. When their eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness of the mountain morning they found the proving ground soaked with blood and littered with the bodies of several of their men, their throats, stomachs and limbs, sliced cleanly, clearly the work of skilled warriors. Surveying the carnage Ra's eyes settled on the remaining two dozen swordsmen of his elite guard, each unmoving, facing him with their swords drawn.

Grabbing the hilt of his own sword as he spoke, he was incensed by what he saw. "What is the meaning of this? Who killed your brothers?"

"I did, grandfather."

Ra's looked around, trying to pinpoint the familiar voice of his grandson. "Damien. Why you have your returned to Nanda Parbat, knowing you will not leave here alive?" Unable to locate the boy, Ra's continued to try to draw him out. "You're father, the Detective, would be most upset with your taking a life again, something I believe you vowed never to do again." Ra's smiled, sensing Damien dropping down from the ramparts before he actually saw him. The immortal assassin had hoped that bringing up the boy's dead father would provide an opening, and he was not disappointed. Turning to face his opponent Ra's made note that the boy was wearing the League's assassin attire, albeit with red instead of the traditional black. But that did little to lessen the immortal warrior's confidence. "Coming out into the open was a foolish mistake, boy."

Damien didn't move a muscle when he landed, staring straight ahead at the man who taught him to kill all those years ago. "No, grandfather, the mistake is yours. You assume too much, as usual." Damien looked to the left, where Talia was standing. "Hello mother."

"My son." Talia voice wavered ever so slightly before she steadied herself. "Why have you returned?"

"Is it not obvious? I'm here to fulfill my destiny, but not as you and grandfather planned. Today I take command of the League of Shadows."

Ra's drew his sword. "Only over my dead body. Men, I command you to attack this petulant child and to bring me his head." When his soldiers remained motionless he was shocked, but refused to let Damien see that emotion cross his face.

"Your men follow me now grandfather. And if I ordered them to, both you would be dead within minutes."

The rage and frustration Ra's had tried to suppress came bubbling to the surface at that moment as he rushed at Damien. But in his rage, Ra's had underestimated how much his grandson had grown as a warrior since their last encounter. The younger fighter easily spun away from the wild, sweeping sword arc and moved in to strike Ra's solar plexus with two quick blows, taking the older man's sword when his hands relaxed from the shock of the strikes.

Trying to regain his breath, Ra's knew he was beaten. He looked dejectedly up at the men he had commanded for years to ask a single question. "Why?"

The tip of his own sword pressing against his throat was the only answer he got. He followed the pressure, slowly rising to his feet, just like Damien wanted. In that moment Ra's fully appreciated how much Damien took after his father, his frame much more imposing than when the two had last shared the same space. With a flick of Damien's wrist the sword was off his throat.

"Your mistake grandfather, was following the lead of a madman, something even your most elite guards opposed. Vandal Savage was never going to share power with you."

Ra's snapped back at his grandson. "My men have never complained, never once waivered in the face of my orders."

Damien shook his head, not surprised by the old man's answer. "Perhaps if they were not under threat of death for speaking against you they might have told you what they thought of your plan, or Savage's plan, as it were. For all your talk about how my father's method of leadership would fail to effect lasting change, at least he allowed those beneath him to speak their minds. Yet another thing I'm glad to have had the chance to learn when you excommunicated me all those years ago."

Talia cautiously stepped forward, hand still on her sword hilt. "Your father was a great man, my son. I grieved when told of his death. While I had not spoken to him in some time before then, I know he would not want you to kill your only living family."

"And I won't." At Damien's words Ra's let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, but he had little time to process as Damien continued speaking to his mother. "You will take grandfather, and you will run. You will never return to Nanda Parbat, nor will you take any action against the League of Shadows, myself, or Grayson, should you cross paths with him in your exile. Failure to follow these rules will result in your deaths by my hand."

* * *

Ra's minded snapped back to the present as the log caught fire. He quickly began adding kindling and within moments had a roaring fire going. After warming his hands for a moment he called out to his daughter. "Talia, come sit by the fire. I will take the next watch."

Only the wind replied, lightly whistling through the mouth of the cave. Quickly fashioning a torch from the bottom of his robe, Ra's made his way toward the cave entrance, hoping his daughter simply couldn't hear his call. Rounding the final turn to hidden entrance in the side of the mountain he dropped the torch at the sight of his daughter impaled an arrow, lying motionless in the snow as her blood stained the ground around her. He barely heard the second arrow pierce the air before it found his own heart. As he slumped to the ground he could feel the darkness clawing at him as he fought to stay alive. His perseverance was rewarded as his attacker soon emerged from the shadows cast by his discarded torch. His other daughter, Nyssa, long exiled from the League for her misguided adventures with Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance, walked slowly through the snow, bow still drawn and aimed at his chest.

He fought through the blood rising in his throat. "Daughter."

The mountain wind blew Nyssa long black hair back, allowing her father to see the mix of anger and sorrow in her eyes. "Goodbye, Father."

Ra's al Ghul, the Demon's Head, was dead before her second arrow drove into his throat.

Nyssa stood silently in the gently falling snow, looking over the dead bodies of her sister and her father for several minutes, memories of the time she spent with them playing out in her mind. The sound of a footfall in the snow, barely imperceptible, brought her back to the present. Collapsing her bow, she called out to the shadows. "Nephew, if you're going to follow me, you'll have to work harder to remain hidden.

"If I had been hiding, you wouldn't have heard me." Damien stepped into the dying light of the torch, taking in the scene, speaking to his aunt without turning to face her. "I am truly sorry you had to handle this alone. I should have been the one to do it."

Showing just how much the years had changed him, he didn't flinch when Nyssa put a hand on his left shoulder. "You made a promise to Bruce. Keeping your word is not something to apologize for."

"It's not like I haven't killed anyone since making that vow. This morning, seven men fell on my sword."

"Richard and I were monitoring your camera feed. You offered a peaceful solution, and they attacked you. Self-defense is one thing, Damien, but this," Nyssa gestured to the bodies of her family. "is something else entirely."

"Grayson should not have asked you to help. He knew where this would lead."

Nyssa turned her nephew around. "Yes, he did. You both are far too much like Bruce in that way. When your brother reached out, I was simply glad to hear my nephew was still alive. I knew as soon as he told what he was planning that Talia and my father would have to die. While he never said he condoned the action, Richard understood that such a burden should not fall on your shoulders. You may no longer be the killer Ra's made you into, but I am. And I always will be. And before this battle is over, Richard and his heroes will be glad I'm on their side."

The two stood in silence until Damien picked up the torch. "Are you're assassin's willing to follow?"

Nyssa nodded. "They are as eager as I am to see our houses unify after so long apart. And following the Son of the Bat, no doubt, will certainly ease the transition." Nyssa sensed the younger man bristle at the title. "If this is going to work, Damien, you will need to own that title. Bruce, despite being an enemy, commanded the respect of both the Assassins and the Shadows, through not only his not inconsiderable skill in battle, but his steadfast determination and resolve as well. You would do well to emulate your father in this way."

"Being like my father is the only goal I have, Nyssa. I only hope that one day I can truly say I have done so."


	11. Hitting the Streets

**Downtown Gotham City  
Oct. 4th, 2034  
** **3:48 p.m.**

Thomas felt his target's body go limp as his fist connected with the left side of the bank robber's jaw, a satisfying crack rang out through the cavernous stone building. Along with the body, the M7 assault rifle clattered to the ground of Gotham National Bank, skittering across the floor toward the group of cowering civilians on the floor. Thomas knelt down, feeling the sting of the already healing wound from the bullet he'd taken to his right shoulder about 20 minutes ago. He quickly worked through the man's pockets, trying to find a scrap of ID, anything that might help McGinnis with his investigation. Finding nothing, not even a manufacturer's label on the light gray jacket, Thomas grabbed the cash bag the unconscious man had been carrying. Spotting a bank staff member Thomas tossed her the bag just as the sirens came within ear shot.

While trying to find his grappling gun on Terry's backup utility belt he address the crowd, who were slowly getting to their collective feet. "Don't worry, you're going to be fine. I've taken down the other six gunmen as well. Batman sent me." Just hearing the vigilante's name seemed to calm the crowd. "Those sirens, however, are my cue to take the back door, but feel free to tell the police anything and everything you saw today."

The bank officer Thomas had tossed the bag too looked up from counting the money as Thomas turned to leave, her attention quickly honing in on the hero of the day. "Thank you!"

Thomas cracked a smile as he opened the door. "Don't mention it ma'am." After a second he turned back around, looking for the janitor he thought he'd seen. "And you might want to get someone upstairs into the men's bathroom. I think I cracked the toilet with a guys face when I came in."

Once in the back alley behind the building Thomas aimed the grappling gun up toward the Gotham rooftop, letting the gun's on-board computer pick the angle for the grappling projectile. A small hiss was the only thing that told him the gun had even fired before he was quickly yanked up to the roof opposite the bank. Holstering the grappler along the side of the belt, he couldn't remember which pocket it was supposed to go in, he heard Batman land ahead of him.

"Any ID on the robbers?" Terry's voice was so much similar to Damien's, yet carried so much more emotion, that it was unnerving to Thomas.

"Nope. No tattoos, serial chips on the guns cleanly removed, hell they didn't even have any clothing labels. Definitely professionally outfitted, if not very well trained in hand-to-hand. I assume you found a big wad of nothing on your end as well?" Thomas watched as his answer made Terry shake his head, something that seemed plain odd for a guy wearing a Batsuit. "You're intel was dead on though, a crew of seven, all carrying top of the line military rifles, using the exact deployment tactics you said they would." He watched Terry taking the information, clearly trying to think through the puzzle. "So why'd you call me instead of Red or Nightwing?" Terry's silence spoke volumes. "You don't want to have to get them involved. Look, I get it. It's a lot of pressure, being out here solo. Hell, you think you can take on the world, especially in that suit, but the fact is, Nightwing has way more contacts, and experience on the streets, than either of us put together. You should loop him in."

Thomas heard the whine of the Batsuit's boosters kick on just before Terry replied. "I'll think about it."

He watched as Terry soared off along the rooftops. "Well _that_ was suitable Batman-y."

Now that the conversation was done Thomas found the corner air ventilation shaft that he'd asked Iris to drop his backpack. Having a whole team of young speedsters, even if their mom wouldn't let them near active engagements, certainly made running covert operations much easier. He easily popped the aluminum casing off the vent and found the faded red bag he borrowed from Oliver, and quick changed into the civilian clothes, denim jeans, a simple grey hoodie and a black baseball hat, before heading for the door to the stairwell down in the apartment building below.

As he left the apartment building through the front door, he saw the bank to his left, surrounded by cop cars and ambulances. Cops were corralling the hostages along the wall while the paramedics checked on the unconscious robbers. Seeing the authorities actually had things well in hand he turned away from the bank and headed deeper into downtown. Looking around as he walked, Thomas noticed how different Gotham looked than the last time he'd walked around the city during the day, over 13 years ago. The old brick and stone buildings were far fewer than he remembered, the cityscape dotted with many more skyscrapers and hotels. The old buildings that were still standing, didn't look as run down as they used to be. He thought back to the time Clark had told him how Gotham had turned itself around, ever so briefly, when Thomas and Martha Wayne died. _Maybe Gotham finally got it's shit together when Bruce disappeared,_ he thought morbidly.

Ten minutes of walking later and he'd reached his destination, Wayne Industries headquarters. Walking past the security desk he swiped the security badge that Dick had gotten for him. Seeing the line for the elevator, Thomas opted for the stairs. Taking advantage of the lack of cameras, something Dick had insisted on to the security team, Thomas went full tilt up the stairs, easily knocking out the first dozen floors in only a minute or two, passing the next dozen just as fast. At the top of the tower, floor 36, Thomas took the door to the main lobby, grabbing the attention of Dick's secretary, someone he instantly recognized.

"Well I'll be damned, hello Miss Brown."

Hearing her name, the blonde woman looked up from her desk. But she seemed confused when he approached. "Something I can help you with, sir?"

Then Thomas remembered the last time they'd talked. "Right, I had a beard last time we met. Well, that and I've 'dead' for going on thirteen years now."

"Holy crap." Realization dawned on the former Batgirl. A ding at the elevator cut the reunion short. Just as quickly as Stephanie realized who he was, she turned on the professional exterior as some men in suits exited the elevator. "Is Mr. Grayson expecting you? I don't seem to have you on his agenda for the day."

Thomas leaned against the counter, sharing a knowing look with his old acquaintance. "Probably not. But I believe if you tell him that his 'security consultant' needs to speak with him that he'll make it work."

The intercom buzz interrupted the conversation, followed with Dick's voice. " _You can send Mr. Jackson in Stephanie, I've got some time. Please clear my schedule for the rest of the day, this could take a while. I'll return any urgent documents and phone calls before the start of the day tomorrow if I can. Thanks."_

"Well, it was nice seeing you again Ms. Brown."

Stephanie smiled as she gestured toward the door to Dick's office. "And you too Mr. Jackson."

Thomas had been expecting Dick to be buried in a mountain of paperwork from the way he described running Wayne Industries, but he didn't think he'd find an empty office with the lights turned off.

"Dick?" He called out, confused why his friend would answer on the intercom but not be in his office.

Dick's voice crackled through a speaker in the ceiling. " _Don't freak out. You're on camera. Head to my desk, there's a photo I think you might recognize in the back of the middle drawer."_

Thomas did as he was told, sliding out the middle drawer of Thomas Wayne's old walnut desk, something Dick had kept in the office, even if a Wayne wasn't running the company. Nestled in the back, just like Dick had said it would be, was a silver framed portrait. Not a digitally displayed photo, which seemed to have finally gotten over the hump while he was asleep, this one was old, taken back in the team's early days, back when Dick was still sporting the red, yellow and green as Robin.

"You know, I remember Dinah was about ready to kill Wally by the time she snapped this photo."

"Yeah, that was one of his prouder moments. Flip over the photo and hold your hand on the back plate."

Again Thomas did as he was told, only slightly surprised when the frame lit up blue, the light traveling down his hand, indicating it was being scanned. As soon as it was finished, the bookshelf opposite the door popped back, drawing Thomas' attention. As it slid to the side, he saw the elevator, no doubt something Lucius Fox himself had installed.

"How very James Bond of you."

"I do what I can. I'll see in a few seconds."

Thomas stepped into the elevator, checking out his reflection on all four sides thanks to the reflective metal on each panel. _Damn thing's probably almost nuclear hardened,_ he thought as he felt the bottom drop out from under him as soon as the doors closed, the express elevator definitely earning its name as it raced to the bottom. True to what Dick said, within seconds he felt the elevator slow and finally once it hit bottom. The doors split apart and he walked out into the the old Wayne Tech nuclear bunker that Bruce had retrofitted all those years ago.

Spying his friend up at the main computer bank, Thomas headed straight for him. "I see you got the old Alpha Site back online since I went under."

Dick nodded as he kept working, punching commands on the console. "Yeah, Checkmate sure did a number on this place. Thankfully, during the purge Waller 'confirmed' that the place was all but dust without any troops coming down to confirm the report." Suddenly, the two screens in front of the pair switched to video call displays, each showing a different person: Oliver Queen on the left, and Clark Kent on the right.

"Well ain't your Kryptonian ass a sight for sore eyes!" Oliver was positively ecstatic at the sight of his friend.

Clark let out a hearty laugh. "It's good to see you too, Oliver. Sorry I haven't swung by the cave. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Luthor and I are rebuilding a small Fortress, as well as Jor-El." Thomas could see Clark try not to stare at Oliver missing arm. "And Lex has something for you. He says, and I quote, 'Don't tell Queen I said this, but QI certainly had a good design with this one."

Dick stood up from his chair. "Has Lex agreed to the plan?"

Clark nodded. "He has. Not exactly too pleased about it, but he agreed it's the only way to do things if we don't want guaranteed bloodshed." Now it was Clark's turn to question. "Have you got the communications protocol sorted for the full team?"

Dick was slow to answer. "I think so. All the old JL freqs are burnt, but Bats and I's old sat-com system should be able to handle to the load of the extra comm traffic."

Thomas crossed his arms behind Dick. "Sure would be nice to have a telepath on the team. Would be one less thing to worry about when the fighting starts."

Dick turned his head back toward Thomas at the mention of a telepath, turning quickly to bring up multiple files. Thomas, as well as Clark and Oliver, was confused.

"What, something I said?"

Dick held up a finger to silence his friend, but he got no further in his mysterious search as the screen to the left started flashing red, a silent alarm going off. Through his video screen Oliver saw the flashing pulse on their faces.

"Something going on?"

Dick's brow was furrowed as he studied the display, switching between multiple underwater camera angles. "Something, or someone tripped the old Atlantean comm buoy out in the bay." Suddenly his eyes shot wide and he turned back to face Clark and Oliver. "You guys are not going to believe what out's in the bay right now."

Thomas looked over and saw what Dick had seen. "I'll give you guys a hint. He looks pissed, is leading an army of warriors, has a hook for a hand, and has a blonde beard that could Oliver a run for his money."

Oliver fist pumped. "Hell. Yes." He pointed at Thomas and then Clark. "Looks like you two don't have a monopoly on coming back from the dead; Arthur Curry's back in the game."

* * *

 **A/N: If you're curious about the purge that was mentioned, check out Sigma Squad and The Outsiders, which are two more stories set in this continuity. Please review!**


	12. The Light of Day

**An Abandoned Airport  
** **20 miles north of Metropolis  
** **9:45 a.m.  
** **Oct. 7th, 2034**

General Sam Lane was feeling every bit of his 79 years when he pushed himself out the passenger side of the old Army jeep. As a nearly retired 3-star general he was glad to have a driver for the day, especially at his age, but inwardly cursed the paperwork snafu from his last minute departure off the base that left him sitting shotgun in a 35 year old truck that rode like it should have been sold for scrap a couple decades ago. Once his feet were back on solid ground, he stretch his back, wincing at the tightness even a short hour long drive had caused, something his driver had noticed.

"Feeling OK, sir?"

Sam waved the young private off. "Nothing I can't handle, son." Lane looked across the barren landscape of the long abandoned airport, kicking himself for forgetting his usual silver-rimmed Aviator sunglasses. Just inside on the hangars he spotted the outline of a lone SUV. "Besides, I found who I'm here to meet."

The private looked around. "You sure, sir? Doesn't look like anyone's been out here in years."

Lane scoffed at the boy's inexperience. "Son, why would I ask you to drive me here if there wasn't a point?" Sam reached back into the passenger seat through the open window and grabbed his hand-carved wooden cane. "You just sit right here in the Jeep and I'll be back when I'm good and ready." Zipping up his light jacket, Sam set off down the broken concrete tarmac towards the aircraft hangars, leaving the young private to sit alone in the jeep, wondering what the hell he was going to do while he waited to the general to return.

It took him a bit longer than he would have liked, and was mildly out of breath when he made it to the black SUV. Up close he noted the tinted windows and lack of plate. Given the location, and the man who'd set up the meeting he only needed one guess as to which government agent was in the vehicle.

He rapped on the window behind the driver's seat with his cane. "You gonna open a door Amanda, or am I going to start seeing how bulletproof your windows are?" Before the window started to slide down, he could hear the woman's muffled laughter, which died down once they could see eye to eye.

Sam, for his part, wasn't in the mood. "Something funny, Waller?"

Waller gathered herself. "You certainly haven't lost your touch Sam." She popped open her door and slid over so Lane could enter the vehicle. After he was in, she tossed him a file. "I've got to say, Lane, I thought Luthor was bat-shit crazy to bring you in on this."

The general quickly flipped through the pages in the file, noting the people in the photos looked a hell of a lot like people he used to know. Closing the file slowly, he looked over at Waller. "And why's that?"

Waller was staring out the window when she answered. "Because I'm old, Sam. She turned head to look over at him. "But your _old._ He's either desperate or stupid to bring you in, neither of which sit well with me."

"Well, thanks for the self-esteem boost."

"But seriously General, why are you even still serving at your age?"

Sam's face hardened at the question. "You know as well as I do that the UE took damn near all the junior officers into their military when they decided to revamp the UN forces. The Army was the hardest hit. Hell, we even lost two four star generals to those Amazon warlords. For all their talk of peace and a united Earth, we both know a fight's coming. And I'll be damned if I'm going to be drinking a beer on my porch when it happens. Besides, the President ask that I stay on, you know that."

Before the two could banter any more, the car shook, causing both to brace against the car's frame. Looking out what had caused the tremor, they both quickly noticed that the wall opposite them was getting taller.

Sam slid back into the seat, certain they weren't in immediate danger. "Of course Luthor would be the guy who makes the whole hangar floor an elevator. Never does anything half way, that man."

BREAK-BREAK-BREAK

Ten minutes later, down at the bottom of the elevator, Lex Luthor stood next to Richard Grayson as the massive lift neared the end of its descent..

Richard was growing impatient with the waiting, something Luthor noticed with a wry smile. "For a man trained by Batman, your composure leaves a lot to be desired."

"Very funny, Lex. It might have slipped your mind, but I'm running a covert ops team that's currently involved in some very high risk missions and I don't really have the time to be summoned to one of your hidden bases."

"Even to meet with the illustrious Sam Lane and Amanda Waller?"

Dick looked over warily at his temporary ally. "Those are certainly a couple names I haven't heard in awhile."

Lex looked at his watch as heard the locks of the elevators begin to click into place. "Yes, well much like you and your team, they've been making moves of their own these past few years, only without your level of recent success. But given their collective pool of contacts-"

Dick cut off the billionaire. "It's time to get all the players on the same page."

"Precisely, Mr. Grayson."

A loud metallic thud rang out as the elevator was firmly locked in the place. The SUV doors quickly popped open as both Waller and Lan quickly stepped out of the stationary vehicle. The two quickly found their way over to the hosts. Waller, unlike Lane, seemed to have a hint of knowing tone when she shook hands with Dick.

"Mr. Grayson, odd running into you down here."

Lane picked up that, for entirely different reasons. "What's the big idea bringing Wayne's boy in on this Luthor?"

Lex motioned for the group to follow him down the hall as he answered. "Aside from being the only true global business leader left standing thanks to our _incredible_ United Earth government, he also has a more personal connection to the matters at hand."

Just off the cavernous elevator hanger Luthor ushered the group into a conference room. Once everyone found their seat Lex motioned for his guards to leave. For a silent moment he looked his three companions over before starting the proceedings. "I assume that you went through the file I sent?

Lane scoffed. "I didn't get very far, what with the hole massive floor elevator thing. I can't read while I'm moving, motion sickness."

Lex shook his head. "Very well, I will enlighten you as to this meetings true purpose."

Lane put up his hand. "No need Luthor. It seems pretty obvious, even to an old warhorse like me. You want to the take the UE down, and you want our help to do it."

Lex leaned back in his chair. "Perceptive as always, General. But our strategy hinges on a very specific order of events. Firstly, we need to turn the public perception even further from the UE, something we've already taken steps to ensure. Secondly, our meta human friends will need to step out into the light of day and openly defy the UE for all to see. Third, they'll need to beat the Amazons and their queen"

It was Waller's turn to interject. "The file you sent didn't include anyone that could stand up to the full might of the Amazons, not even Shazam would stand much of a chance in a stand up fight. These are super powered women literally bred for war, led by the God of War, no less."

Dick cut in. "If we can stop Diana, the Amazons won't be much of a threat. There's already a lot of tension in their ranks. If we can hone in on that, their military superiority would be off the table. Hell, some of them would probably join us against her if we could get her off balance.

Lane pointed a finger at Dick. "And why should we take the word of a suit like you Grayson?"

Waller shook her head and laughed. "Because he's Nightwing, Sam." She looked at the annoyed faces of Dick and Lex. "What? You were going to have to tell him eventually."

Sensing things were going off the rails, Lex stepped in. "You're right Amanda, the metas in your briefing probably couldn't stand up to the Amazons on their own. But with your help, we're going to turn the public perception around. And when the moment is right, bring in the ace up our sleeve."

Sam swung his arms out in exasperation. "And that would be?"

"Depends on how you answer my next question General." Lex quickly fired back. "What if I told you Superman was alive?"

The color ran out of Sam's face. "What?"

Waller waved her right arm to get Luthor's attention. "What the hell kind of question is that Luthor? You know what Superman did to his daughter, what he did to Metropolis."

Lex turned his gaze to Waller. "Now I know the government doesn't want to admit that Superman was framed, and that the UE was built on a sham, but you, of all people, can't be so stupid as to believe Diana's lies."

With Waller silenced Lex stood up, walking around the table until he was opposite the general. "Like myself you were one of the bigger thorns in the Man of Steel's side. So what would you do if you found out he was alive. Would you want revenge for your daughter's murder?" Instead of the angry response he was expecting, Lex saw Sam slump back into his chair. "General?"

Sam looked up Lex across the table, his mind seemingly not in the moment. "You know when Lois first started writing about Superman, it set my blood boiling. How people could trust an alien, especially one with almost no limits to his power, over their own kind got me madder than I've been been. For the longest time, I didn't speak with my daughter because of it, at least not until she introduced me to her fiance. To tell you the truth, I wanted to punch that righteous reporter right in the face. Doubly so when I caught him super speeding off to go stop the villain of the week in Metropolis." Sam paused looking up at Lex. "That's when it hit me. I wanted to kill an alien, simply because I thought he was different. But that day, I found out he was just a reporter from Smallville, who did things by the book, who kept a steady job, and made my daughter happy. That night I buried the hatchet with Clark. So as you clearly believe, I too think Superman was framed and to answer your question, Lex, if Superman were here I'd shake his hand and tell him that it's about time he showed up." Suddenly Lane's tone became far more stern. "But regardless of being framed, Diana killed Superman. Even if it was just a patsy, they wouldn't have let the real Superman live. So if you're telling me you somehow cloned him, or revived his dead body, or whatever the hell you did, that it wouldn't be him. And on my daughter's soul, we aren't going to win like that. Period."

Lex folded his arms. "Well, I suppose I deserve the implication, but I've done nothing of the sort. But since you clearly won't take just my word for it, maybe you'll take his."

At the end of the sentence, the conference room door slowly opened, and Superman, clad in the classic red and blue, walked through the door. To say that Waller was stunned would be an understatement, but Clark ignored her, honing straight on General Lane. "It's been a long time General."

* * *

 **Location unknown**  
 **Oct. 9th**  
 **6:25 p.m.**

Vandal Savage closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead as he listened to the Metropolis 8 evening news report for the second time, letting the voices wash over him as .

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I'm Aaron Soris of Metropolis 8 News. Tonight, there won't be any witty banter between my co-hosts and myself. We're going straight to City Hall where Metropolis Police Commissioner, Maggie Sawyer, is about to take the podium for a press conference she herself called, which if have been paying attention to Sawyer for the past few years is well outside of normal, or rather non-existent, interactions with the press. No doubt she will attempt to downplay the events in downtown over the weekend that rocked the world." The broadcaster touched his earpiece, as though to better hear what he was being told. "I'm getting word from the control booth that we're going to switch to the live feed from City Hall and we'll pick things up back here when the conference has come to a close."

Without further delay, the broadcast cut to a shot of an empty wooden podium, lined with microphones from stations both national and local. Within a few seconds of the shot change, Maggie Sawyer, decked out in her usual blue suit, with her badge hanging her the chain around her neck, walked from the left of the camera and up to the podium.

"I've prepared a statement, one that should enlighten you all about the events that you're all talking about that occurred a little over a week ago, right here in the heart of our city. Metropolis is no stranger to super powered people, some might say our city, our people, have the most experience in dealing with only these individuals, but the fallout from their actions as well. From my rather long career in the Special Crimes Unit, I've seen up close what criminals, both super and not-so super are capable of. So when word reached my office the morning of September 30th about a metahuman sighting I responded with the full force of the police force, calling in SWAT teams, and contacting the United Earth government in cooperation with Metahuman Registration Act. It had been just over seven years since the last super-powered being used their powers in our city. And that it ended with the deaths of too many innocent lives. I was determined to not let that happen again.

Sawyer paused looking over the room, her experience as commissioner showing as she let the moment sink for not only "But when my men and I arrived on the scene, there was no carnage, no citizens running for their lives. There was a strange sense of deja vu as I watched a team of people, a team of heroes, effortlessly corralled the hostage takers to an abandoned construction site and disarmed with gunmen without a single hostage or officer being harmed in the process."

Once again Savage listened as the commissioner's statement drew an uproar of questions before she silenced the crowd with a look. "When the head of the United Earth government herself showed up, these heroes refused to back down. And in this moment I made a call, one I would make again and again. My officers and I are not in the business of arresting heroes. And those talking heads who ask what we do when the powerful go bad. My answer is the same as what we as a people have down since our nation was founded; we deal with the problem after, not before.

"Now of course, given that my stance puts me on the wrong side of the law, I have sent my resignation to the mayor's office. But much to my surprise she denied it, telling me point blank, 'No.' And she's here tonight to tell you why."

If the reporters in the hall had been shocked early, they were downright ravenous for answers now as the third term Metropolis mayor, Jill Fleming, stepped into the camera frame, waving down the crowd. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but trust me, you're going to want to hear what I have to say, so if you'll please settle down, I'll move things along as quickly as I can and get to your questions." Fleming stood at the podium, and within seconds the room died down. "Thank you. Now, as Commissioner Sawyer has already told you, I declined to accept her resignation. And you're rightfully asking 'Why?'. As you know, I've long struggled with accepting the UE encroachment on the rights of our citizens, and that I am not alone in that concern, even after nearly a decade of it's existence. First it, it was the restriction of the rights of super-powered citizens, then the peaceful assembly, sanctioned by our own federal government no less, and then the Amazons occupied LexCorp tower, using it as a base to patrol our city in the place of our own experienced and capable police officers. Their thuggish handling of suspects, innocent or guilty, has been sickening to watch. But in the beginning we stomached it, because they made us feel safe. And for good reason. Our world leaders failed, spectacularly so. And were led to believe that our heroes, like Superman, had also failed, leaving the door wide open for the Amazons to form the United Earth government out of the ashes of the UN. Our whole system of government now hinges on the truth of those two singular facts. And while the first one is a certainty, the second is maybe the most bold lie in human history." Fleming looked over the reporters, furiously typing on their handhelds to quote her. "And for the first of the biggest metaphorical bombshells to drop on this city in some time, I have someone here tonight who can prove it. Ladies and gentlemen, Lex Luthor!"

Like an emcee introducing a guest speaker, Fleming waved Luthor up to the stage, leaving the crowd on the edge of the seat, yet eerily silent. The mood in the hall turned sharply thanks to the mayor's words. The old time reporters could feel the crowd, no longer even trying to be neutral, hanging on her words like the gospel; this was going to be one of those moments that history couldn't help but remember.

Lex cleared his throat and placed his hands on the outside of the podium, projecting the confidence that had always come so easily to him. "As many of you know, I've had my struggles with the law in my life. Some unjust accusations to be sure, but, much as I wouldn't like to admit, many of them were well founded. But the biggest one of them all was something no one had ever heard about, not until this very moment. Until the day Superman died by Diana's sword I had, for over 15 years, been a part of a secret society intent of bringing about the end of the Justice League. I joined mostly to take down Superman, someone whom I'd battled with for years at the time. The group was led by Vandal Savage, a name many in the government, and maybe a few in the press, should be intimately familiar with. While I have no concrete proof he is behind the formation of the United Earth government, I do have proof that it was his plan that succeeded in discrediting Superman, resulting in the public execution of a de-powered Kryptonian clone, and imprisoning the Man of Steel in an extra-dimensional cell. I know this, because I built the portal that sent him there. Once I understood the full scope the Savage's plan I immediately attempted to retrieve Superman, but I failed, hiding in my estate, cutting myself off the world. I know even losing my company to Savage is an inadequate price to pay for my crime, so I'm voluntarily turning myself into the Metropolis police force where I will hopefully be allowed to continue my work on reverse engineering my design and attempt to bring Superman back where he belongs. Evidence corroborating my claim has been sent to the Attorney General in each of the 51 states, several Generals and Admirals in the American, British, and Russian armed forces as well as the various offices of world leaders serving the UE council. As big as this news is, you assuredly haven't heard the last of this subject. But I believe that is all for my allotted time. Thank you."

Sawyer and Fleming returned to the stage, with the commissioner escorting Lex off stage. Fleming took the podium once again. "And that's not even the biggest news of the night. What I'm about to tell you is going to shock a lot of people. But I hope once that wears off, people will see the truth in what I'm saying. Not only do we have legitimate concerns about the way the United Earth government conducts its affairs, but we also now have proof that it was formed on a lie, and is possibly operating under the influence of Vandal Savage, the man we know was behind the destruction of Mumbai all those years ago. With these facts in mind, I am petitioning our state legislature to draft a resolution to secede from the United States, and thereby the United Earth government as well. Tomorrow morning, at 9 a.m. I will be on the steps of City Hall, ready to march with any and all willing citizens of this city and this state, to head down to the Capitol Building and demand that our government fulfill the wishes of its people. For too many years we have sat in silence due to fear and mistrust. Tomorrow, that way of living is over. In the interest of time, I will not be taking questions this evening, but I will be more than willing to discuss the realities of the situation with anyone who wants to be here in the morning. Thank you, and goodnight."

The Metro 8 news feed quickly cut away from the empty podium, back into the studio with Aaron Soris. Only the scene people watching were treated to was the look of man truly dumbfounded by the events he had just watched, unbridled shock plastered across his face as his eyes were frozen on the off screen monitor. And as quickly as the feed had changed, the station broke to commercial.

Reaching the end of the recording, Savage switched off the display. Pressing his comm device, he called his contact in the United Earth Headquarters. Hearing the click of him picking up, Savage barked out his orders. "Manhunter, return to Alpha Base. We need to discuss our strategy for the morning. If we don't end this insurrection in Metropolis, all out war will be on our doorstep sooner rather than later. On your way, stop down in the lab. Inform the doctor I want my army ready to be on the streets of Metropolis by dawn."

* * *

 **A/N: If the Mumbai bit caught your attention, check out the same two stories I mentioned at the end of the last chapter, Sigma Squad and The Outsiders. Please review!**


	13. Escalation

**Resistance HQ  
** **Kansas  
** **3:35 a.m.**

Oliver flexed the hand on the prosthetic Lex had built for him, amazed at how quickly it had integrated into his nervous system. He listened close and could scarcely hear the fine motors working almost identically to a real human arm. He couldn't believe Lex had gotten his hands on Queen Industries research files, much less that he'd managed to make the damn thing while living in exile from LexCorp. Looking up from his new arm he realized that he'd passed the armory about ten steps back, lost in the sensation of having a limb again. After backtracking he opened the door to the weapons room, finding Jason at his station, facing the door, cleaning his pistols. Oliver noted that his usual jacket was slung across the back of the chair, meaning the younger man had been at it for a while. Outside of that, he was in his full Red Hood attire, complete with the gray armored undersuit with the large red Bat symbol on the chest. Jason looked up for a second, nodding to Oliver as the older man crossed the room in front of him.

Queen quickly found his locker and popped swinging door to see if everything was as he left it. It took him a second, but he realized that he'd just used his left arm, something he hadn't done in nearly 8 years, like he'd never lost in in the first place. Once again he marveled down at the appendage as he touched each finger to his palm, the robotic limb responding perfectly. Oliver made a fist and swung slowly at the locker door, floored by the sensation of actual feedback up his arm as it made contact with the door.

Jason's voice cut through the aging archer's euphoria. "Old man, the fate of the world is hanging over us, so if you start crying over your new toy I might vomit in the corner."

Oliver cracked a smile. "I'd watch it Todd, I might actually be able to punch you now."

Jason scoffed as he stood up from the chair. "Well you could certainly try."

Oliver shook his head as he focused back on his gear, shocked by what he quickly saw was missing. "Hey, where's my damned bow?" His angry glare fell on a laughing Jason Todd.

Jason caught his breath and grabbed something from the table he'd been working on. "Figured you'd come down and test it out, so I went ahead and stripped it and cleaned it for you. Should be good as new." Jason tossed the bow across the room to Oliver. "Dick wanted to see if you could still shoot straight since we're in a all hands on deck type situation."

Oliver caught the bow with ease, yet again amazed at how having arm had come back so naturally. Lex had really done a hell of a job on the neural interfacing. Pressing the thumbpad, he held arm out as the bow unfolded in rapid fashion. He looked it over, flipping it over with a flick his wrist. The weight felt so natural to him, like he suddenly was whole again. Reaching into the locker he picked an arrow out of the quiver and spun quickly, notching as he whirled around, drilling a Budweiser can Jason had left a top the far locker while he worked on his guns.

As the can exploded, spraying the last few gulps of beer left in the bottom Oliver shot Jason a cocky grin. "Yeah, I'm thinking I can still shoot."

Jason wasn't exactly as happy as the older vigilante. "There was still good beer in there, you ass."

Oliver motioned for Jason to follow him over to the locked case beside the door. Using his good hand for the palm scanner, he waited for the door to fold up. When it finally cleared he found a case of arrows he kept locked up, mostly so Artemis wouldn't be tempted to use them in the field. Holding the dark grey tip in the light, he tilted it so Jason could get a better look. "N-th metal arrow heads. Carter and Shayera had found a bunch of meteorites over the years with the ore, and left them with me when they returned to Thanagar. Queen Industries finally cracked the refining process right before everything went to shit. Only had four tips made, so shots will be at a premium, but I reckon if I gave it enough juice these babies might even make it through Clark's thick skin."

Jason grabbed several clips for his pistols, and knife belt before closing the weapon display. "Just don't die before you get to shoot them old man."

Oliver looked over at Jason as they walked out of the weapons room together, heading for the conference room across the hall. "If you're not careful, I might 'accidentally' shoot one in your ass."

"Guys, c'mon. Language." The duo looked as they entered the conference room, where Artemis stood at the head of the table. "There are kids in the room you know."

Iris face palmed at her mom's statement. "Mom, I'm the youngest here, and I'm 15. And in a few hours we're all going to in a fight for our lives. I don't think a few swear words are the worst of our problems."

A red streak flew into the room. "Exactly babe." Wally kicked his feet up on the table. "Bigger fish to fry. Oh, and Barry and Jay are safe and sound at Barbara's They're probably already trying to corrupt the nubile young mind of Bruce Grayson as we speak."

Oliver and Jason split up, taking opposite sides of the table. Queen slid into a chair between Batson and Queen's own new protege, Jim, a top notch archer in his own right and son of two former League associates. Jason sat across from Oliver, with the new Huntress, a 18 year old girl from Gotham, to his right and Connor to his left.

Almost as soon as everyone say down, the display behind Artemis lit up, showing images of Clark in the newly re-built Fortress and Thomas and Dick in Gotham. Fully decked out in his Nightwing attire, Dick took charge of the meeting.

"So we all know what's at stake today. Thanks to Lex, we've created an opportunity, maybe the only opportunity for this whole situation to not end in bloodshed. But we're not exactly planning on that being the case." Images from news choppers and street cameras in Metropolis popped up on the screen, as well was the screens around the conference room. "The Metropolis mayor's call for a public march definitely didn't go unheard. There are already about 2,000 people sitting outside Metropolis City Hall, and that's only going to get bigger." The images switched to cars streaming out of the city. "Many others are trying to flee the city, either because they followed Diana's decree to stand down, or because they don't want to get caught in the probably inevitable cross fire. I've got trucks and employees helping coordinate evacuation routes and working with the Metropolis school districts to bus people out of the city. I'm confident we'll have downtown full evacuated by dawn, except for the people that want to stay."

Crock took over with a nod from Dick. "Priority one is protecting the civilians on the street. Iris and Barry will be getting stragglers out of the city. Oliver, Jim, Jason, and myself will take rooftop vantage points and follow along the march. We're doing to need to maintain a low profile as long as we can. If we can get by without a fight, that's the preference. So Connor, Thomas, and Billy will follow through the parallel buildings, staying out of the camera feeds, but near enough to the crowd to step in if necessary. If the aces up our sleeve work as we planned, then we might not need our heavy hitters."

"Right." Dick took back over when Artemis stepped to the side. "Now it's a given that Diana and her Amazons are going to show up in force. They can't exactly afford to have the United States facture over the very formation of their world order. I know that a few of you have some rather personal scores to settle with Diana." Even through the monitor Dick could see Oliver's grip tighten on his collapsed bow, not to mention an under his breath "Damn right." from Thomas, so he gave the moment a second to breath. "She's gone a long way off the rails, done a lot of messed up things over the years, it's my hope that no one, on _either_ side has to die. Is that clear?" Seeing no one objecting, Dick closed out the meeting. "Then I'll see you all in Metropolis in two hours."

* * *

 **Metropolis City Hall  
** **8:30 a.m.**

The crowd outside the mayor's office had grown exponentially overnight, far beyond Mayor Fleming's most liberal expectations. Standing at the top of the city hall steps she looked over the sea of people, sandwiched in between the buildings, stretching down several blocks at least. Her staff's last count, about 30 minutes ago had the tally near 4,000 strong, and that had only risen as the early morning sun had begun its climb through the sky.

The mayor felt nervous on a scale she had could scarcely recall after a long career in Metropolis politics. She'd always known her role, staying as Metropolis' longest serving mayor while all her colleagues moved on to the state and national levels, and that gave her confidence. But today was something on another level entirely. She knew how wrong things could go, she was under no illusion that today, one way or the other, was going to irrevocably alter the history of not only her city, her country, and hell, maybe even the world as well. She took a deep breath, trying to stifle her own anxiety. That's when she heard the gasps, loud enough to be heard starting over three blocks away and made their way down the street as four Amazon warriors, resplendent in full white and gold battle attire, flew over the crowd, landing on the steps below the Mayor.

Sensing how quickly things could move sideways, the mayor motioned for her assistant to toss her the megaphone. Pressing the 'talk' button, she heard the feedback as the microphone turned on. But before she could get a word in, the dull roar of several large trucks was heard over the crowd, coming closer based on the sound. Within minutes troops, wearing the uniform of the U.S. Army, began streaming in from the adjacent blocks around the crowd, quickly moving to surround the civilians gathered in the street.

As they climbed the steps the Amazons took this development in stride, like they had been expecting it. The leader, sporting a massive mane of red hair, approached the mayor. "My name is Artemis, one of Diana's generals and I am hear to tell you that before things get any further out of hand you should tell these people to disperse."

Mayor Fleming summoned up all the courage she had as she stared at the Amazon warrior two steps below her. "Even if I wanted to, do you really think these people are just going to walk away? You know better than that."

Artemis sighed. "This is going to end very badly, for all of us, if they do not.."

The crowd was dead silent as they watched the exchange, so quiet, in fact, that Artemis heard a cane, clicking on the stone steps, as it's wielder slowly worked upwards toward her and the mayor. Artemis did a double take when she saw who it was.

Artemis nodded as a sign of respect as Sam Lane, wearing his old fatigues stopped his climb, resting on the step between her and the Mayor. "General Lane. I thought the United Earth forces would be dealing with the crowd."

Lane shrugged. "My unit was closer, and more experienced with crowd control." Sam stood up straight, his hands resting on the cane in front of him. "So how about Fleming? How's all this going to go down?"

Artemis was quite surprised when the mayor responded by checking her watch, an almost playful tone in her voice as she answered the general's question.

"I think what's going to go down is that in 20 minutes we're going to starting walking east and not stop until we reach the state senate building. You coming along General?"

Artemis clenched her first, trying to remain calm. "You know we cannot allow that."

Fleming seemed to grow more confident at the Amazon's remark. "Go ahead and try to stop us."

The Amazon general turned to Sam Lane. "Will you troop transport vehicles hold a crowd this size?"

Fleming was incensed. "Are you going to kidnap a few thousand people?" She motioned for the Amazons to look left at the horde of television cameras aimed directly at them. "For all the world to see?"

Sam raised a hand to quiet the mayor, turning his attention to Artemis. "Well ma'am, it might be a tight fit, but we could probably manage it. Might be a bit pointless though."

Artemis was not in a mood for mortal games. "And why would it be pointless?"

Sam couldn't help but smile as he replied. "Because my men aren't here to keep this people from marching. They're here to keep you from stopping them." He cocked his head to his right to bark out an order. "Boys, it's that time!"

At their general's orders, the several hundred troops turned to face away from the crowd, the civilians roaring the approval as the troops nearest the steps trained their rifles on the four warriors.

Artemis grabbed Sam by the front of his fatigues. "What do you think you're doing, general?"

Sam barely even flinched, reaching into his pocket for a cigar. Digging around for his lighter, he looked straight at Artemis as he answered. "Simple lady, my job."

As if things hadn't escalated enough the riot-ready crowd was quickly silenced when they saw Diana descending from above, her sword already drawn as she landed at the top of the steps of city hall.

While Lane took a deep puff of his cigar Artemis let go of his shirt, bowing to her queen. The older man shook his head at the gesture as he looked over at the head of the United Earth government. "What? Don't expect me to bow to you. Bad back and all that."

Diana pointed her sword at the general. "One chance to avoid bloodshed, General, that's all I can give you now. For your years of service, I will even let you retire without a trial if you end this now. Your men will similarly be offered a chance to leave the military without punishment for following a foolish old man's orders."

Sam looked down at his men and saw they weren't lowering their rifles an inch, even after hearing the Amazon Queen's offer. Not that he'd ever admit it, but he was touched by their loyalty in the face of what they had to know was coming. He blew the smoke from his last draw out of the side of his mouth and looked Diana square in the eye. "No."

Diana didn't reply, didn't sigh, in fact, she barely looked fazed by the answer. Sam watched as she took three steps forward, heard the gasps of the crowd as her blade arced upward. He closed his eye when the blade began dropping as she lunged at him, ready to die to do the right thing. He owed his daughter that much.

* * *

 **AN: Please review!**


	14. All Hell

After a few seconds of hearing nothing but his own heartbeat, General Lane opened his eyes, finding the business of Diana's sword only a few inches from his face. It took him a second to realize that it wasn't moving. Raking his eyes down the blade he noticed someone was holding the top of the hilt, and holding Diana's arm in place, despite her obvious struggle to break free. Sam saw her face run the gamut from stunned silence when she saw who was holding her all the way to raging frustration when she could not break free from his grip. Sam saw the tell tale blue on his savior's arm and looked up and to the right to confirm it. Just as he thought, Superman was there, looking none too pleased with his former friend.

"General, I need you to take your men and leave this area. Immediately."

Sam looked up at Superman, incredulous. "I'm not leaving these civvies here without protection."

Before Superman could respond, Diana wrenched her arms skyward, trying to get the Man of Steel off balance. It worked, albeit briefly, and the Amazon brought her knee up into his abdomen, eliciting a low grunt of pain from the Kryptonian. But Clark recovered, lunging forward to maintain his hold on the Amazon, his cape billowed out as the two moved backward from Sam. She struggled against him as he spun her around, trying to get her into a chokehold.

Sam watched the two grapple, still not quite believing he was seeing the former Wonder Woman duking it out with Superman, on the streets of Metropolis no less! He was so caught up in it all, he nearly missed Superman growl out an order to him.

"I said move, General. We'll handle the civilians."

Lane nodded, quickly sidestepping the super-powered beings. He raced down the steps, ignoring the screaming from his knees, and found his lieutenant at the base of the steps. "Get the trucks turned around and starting loading people up. Rendezvous at the Charlie LZ outside the city. We're not gonna want to be anywhere near this town when the punches start flying!"

At the top of the stairs, Artemis had closed the gap between her and Superman once the general was clear. She didn't even bother with her sword, knowing that only Diana's stood a chance of piercing Kryptonian flesh. "You will unhand Diana. Now."

Superman spun around, and noticed the Amazons had encircle him and their queen. He looked by at Artemis and nodded, releasing Diana from his grip. She had trying to lunge away from Superman when he released her, causing her to lose her balance and fall at Artemis' feet. Getting back to her feet, the former Wonder Woman looked snarled, ready to, but Artemis put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. Before anyone could move, the street below was filled with dueling red and yellow streaks of lightning, and within seconds the mob was almost half it's original size, and within mere a minute, the street was empty save for Superman and the Amazons, at least until the Flash zoomed up alongside his teammate.

"You know Diana, if you keep making that face, it'll stay like that."

Diana's glared turned from Clark to Wally. "Still as immature as ever, Flash."

Wally didn't seem fazed by the comment. "You say immature, I say quick witted and hilarious."

"Oh it's certainly funny." Diana's went cold. "It's downright comical that you let yourself been seen, when we both know you can move so fast even Superman could barely notice you. That could only mean that your precious protege is here in Metropolis. For her sake, you should leave. I would hate for the West family lineage to come to a dead stop because of your foolishness."

Wally's demeanor took on a hard edge. "You leave my daughter out of this."

"You brought her into it." Diana walked around Superman and Flash. "Still, I can't fault a child for following the wishes of her father. But if you surrender, right now, I give you my word that she won't be harmed."

Wally shook his head. "You really are that far gone, aren't you?"

Diana let his comment just bounce off her like a bullet against her bracelets. "For the last time, both of you will stand down to answer for blatant violation of the Metahuman Registration Act," she said, looking at Wally before turning to Superman. "and for the murder of two dozen U.S. marines. If you don't, the full weight of my army will be brought to bear on your head."

Clark and Wally didn't know if it was her plan or not, but right at that moment dozens, if not hundreds, of Amazon warriors streaked out into the sky from behind the surrounding skyscrapers. On the rooftop across the street from where Superman and Flash, Oliver pulled an arrow from his quiver, but stopped before notching it, surprise quickly overtaking the panic of being outnumbered so drastically. He knew these Amazons, each and everyone one of them. Queen quickly tapped the comm device in his ear.

"Thomas, you're not gonna like what we're seeing up here."

In the parking garage a few blocks down from city hall Thomas exchanged a confused glance with Connor and Billy before answering. "And what exactly are you looking at?"

Dick's voice broke into the conversation, shock tinging his voice ever so slightly. "I don't know really know how, but it looks like they cloned your girlfriend."

Thomas stood up, breaking from behind the cover of the wall. "Say. That. Again."

"I don't know how, but there are at least 75 clones of Cassie hovering over city hall right now, all in full battle armor and packing a sword."

Dick's voice hung in the air, and Thomas didn't answer. Connor and Billy didn't even to stop their friend as he jumped over the wall, dropping 20 feet to the ground below before sprinting down the street toward city hall. It was the fastest he'd ever run in his life, and in just a few seconds he gathered enough speed to hurl himself in one final leap to vault the steps of city hall and land between Superman and Diana. He took one brief look skyward to confirm what Nightwing had said, seeing the face of his wife looking down at him, not recognizing him, or his allies behind him, seeing them only as enemies.

When his turned back down toward them, the Amazon's flanking Diana took a half step back, most likely due to the literal fire burning from Thomas' eyes. "What did you do to her?"

Artemis, arguable the most experienced Amazon warrior except Diana herself, was impressed by how restrained the man's voice was, despite the rage almost literally rolling out of his body. When her queen refused to answer, Artemis' growing discontent with her leader's mission nearly reached its breaking point. Thomas, it seemed, had the same questions that she had for her queen.

"She was your sister, you power hungry bitch. How could you do this," He gestured skyward at the silent clones floating above. "to one of your own people? What is so wrong with you that this makes sense?"

Suddenly, Nightwing's voice burst over the comm. "Not interrupt, but Supes, you know that thing I talked to you about? Now's as good a time as any. If we want to keep things level, we need a flaming fastball special, and it's gotta be a strike."

Thomas looked back at Superman and saw the slight change in the man's expression, the tightening of the muscles around his eyes. He was X-raying the scene, but just as quickly as Thomas noticed Clark stopped, seemingly finding what he had been looking for. Putting the pieces of Nightwing's message together Thomas went for a move he hadn't used in a long time; full body pyrokinesis. The explosion of light and heat caused everyone on the ground to flinch, except for Superman, who sprang forward to lift Thomas off the ground by his legs, the extreme heat barely even registering against the skin of his hands. Superman spun once with Thomas outstretched in front of him, launching Thomas through air at his target; one of the Cassie clones.

Thomas tried his best to keep his eyes open during the fraction of a second of flight. The sheer speed of Superman's throw, far faster than Thomas had ever managed to fly under his own power, made it difficult, but not impossible. Making contact with the clone, he groan as he felt his shoulder separate from the joint, his enhanced body still not strong enough to hold up against direct impact to an Amazon's midsection. But at this speed, he had the leverage to drive through the clone, regardless of the damage to himself. As he wrapped his arms around the clone, intent on dragging her to the ground, he heard it scream. And it wasn't Cassandra's voice that was screaming in pain. Nearing the ground, Thomas felt the body almost shimmer in his grasp, but that would have to wait as the two crashed into the open grass field of the downtown central park. Thomas rolled off the body of whatever he'd crashed into, quite glad that the thing's mass was between him and ground upon impact. He felt his shoulder ligaments and muscles pulling on his left humerus, inching it back toward the socket, and realigning themselves in the process. Looking over Thomas saw the creature finish it's transformation, ending in a very distinct form. He grabbed his backup comm from inside his fireproof black and gold suit, since his rather insane move had fried his primary unit. "Ready for pick up Wallman. And you're not gonna believe what I just knocked out of the sky."

A dozen blocks to the west, Superman cranked his head to follow Flash as he sped across the streets of Metropolis, going to and from his destination twice; once to bring Thomas back, his uniform coughing up bits of smoke here and there, and when Wally came back the second time, he dropped a very distinctive green male body in a black suit and blue cape.

"Called it." Dick's voice quickly came through over the comm. "Dig into her Clark, I need to know if she knew. And egg on Artemis, she tried talking Diana down the last time, this is be the last big wedge we need."

Superman stepped in front of Wally, standing above the conscious body. Seeing the Martian start to stir, he swiftly dropped down to make sure he was knocked out. Rising back up to his full height he looked across at Diana. "Did you know?"

Diana smirked. "Yes. I did."

Clark looked at her lieutenants, several had obvious, at least for an Amazon, looks of surprise that a Martian was lying on the ground in front of them. "So Diana, this whole time you've had a telepath in your inner circle?" When she didn't answer Clark continued, taking her silence for a 'yes'. "Then I guess my only other question is if I'm still even talking to the Diana I used to know. Because I know the Amazons don't have cloning technology, and that your gods most definitely wouldn't have helped you do this, especially to one of Zeus' daughters. So who put this idea in your head, and made you think it was yours?"

Diana's calm demeanor abruptly shifted to anger, snarling as she prepared to lunge at the Man of Steel, determined to wipe that smug expression of his face for implying someone was playing her. But a familiar face blocked her path.

"This is not the way my Queen." Artemis' hand was on the hilt of her sword as she tried to talk Diana down. "Nothing we've done can't be undone, but not if you make things worse today."

"Get out of my way Artemis." When her top lieutenant didn't budge, she repeated the demand. "That is an order!"

Artemis drew her sword. "No."

This caused Diana to pause and survey the field, seeing Superman, Wally and Thomas surrounded by her sisters, their swords drawn and pointing away from her enemies. "So you've all turned against me."

Superman floated over the Amazons, bridging the gap between him and Diana. "It can end right here Diana. Please, stand down."

"You don't give the orders Superman. Even if my sisters won't follow me, I still have warriors that will."

Above them, the Cassandra clones drew their swords, the sound of the metal running against the sheaths only adding to the tension.

* * *

Above the crowded steps of city hall, Dick Grayson looked down at the scene, praying Clark could find a way to talk her down. So far, however, it didn't seem like he was having much luck.

"Umm, N-Nightwing? You should get over here. Like right now." Jim's voice from the rear of the group made Dick drop the binoculars as he made his way to the back of the building, on the far side of city hall.

"What is it kid?" Staying low and hugging the wall, Dick slumped down next to the young archer.

Jim pointed over the side, motioning for Dick to look over. Dick popped up, leaning over the edge of the building, and froze at what he saw. He didn't move until Jim joined him in looking down.

"Tell me that's not who I think it is Nightwing. Not _what_ I think it is."

Back at city hall side of the rooftop, Jason was getting impatient, unsure what was going on. "Christ D, the suspense is fucking killing me here, so what the hell is going on back there?"

Dick slowly slid back away from the ledge, sliding down the ground against the stone barrier ringing the rooftop. "It's him, Red. A whole god damn army of him."

Jason didn't reply at first, trying to get a grip on what his adopted brother meant. "And by him, you do mean _him_ , right?" He could see Dick nod from across the building. "Shit."

Two blocks down on another rooftop, Oliver reached for his comm to interject. "I take it you guys have the same problem we do?"

Jim was, needless to say, a little lost. "Would someone tell me what the hell is going on?"

Dick stared off straight ahead as he answered. "As if Cassie wasn't enough, they freaking cloned Batman."

* * *

 **AN: Man, way too long with an update. Sorry about that, but hey, I have two more chapters after this one ready to rock and roll over the upcoming weekend! Don't forget to review!**


	15. Surrounded

Vandal Savage stood in the center of the command room, back straight, hands clasped firmly behind him, watching the events in Metropolis unfold from the comfort of his underground bunker. The noise of the controllers and tacticians running around their stations fell into the background as he focused on the feeds streaming in from the several dozen camera that he'd had the Batman clones place the previous night. Nothing would go unnoticed by the immortal man and his followers. His looked left when the audio feeds picked up a not so cryptic order from Diana.

"You don't give the orders Superman. Even if my sisters won't follow me, I still have warriors that will."

Vandal smiled darkly, the time had finally come. Turning his head back to the control teams behind him he gave a simple command. "Give the order. The clones are to leave no one alive."

"Even Diana, sir?"

Savage didn't even try to figure out who had questioned his orders. "Yes, but only after we've subdued the would-be heroes of the day, we may still need her, even without the Martian to nudge her in the right direction."

* * *

 **Metropolis**

Artemis was the first to notice the Cassandra clones diving toward them and she moved as quickly as she could to draw her own blade. But the clones didn't attack, at least not right way. The blonde woman, cold faced and stone silent walked through the Amazon warriors to surround Superman, Flash, and Thomas. They gave no order, no offer of surrender. Seeing what was about to happen, Artemis looked to her fellow Queen's Guard. Seeing the same look of worry reflected back at her, she gave a silent order, springing forward, leaping over the wall of clones, landing with her sword drawn against the clones of her sister. Her warriors followed, taking up positions alongside Diana's former allies.

Looking past the clones, Artemis snarled at her queen. "You will not take these men, not while I still breathe. And when they all lie dead, you will answer for the things you've done."

To her left, Artemis felt Thomas leaning over to say something. "You know Red, with badassery like that, you should do action movies when this is over. You'd make a killing. Nice to see you again, by the way."

"Indeed. But now is not the time for jokes, Mr. Jackson."

Artemis felt the heat burst from his hands as he responded with gusto. "Yeah, it's time to _fight_!"

On cue, Wally burst forward, intent on getting behind the Amazon clones, hoping to distract them so he could follow up by grabbing the weapons in the precise moment they hesitated, dropping their near unbreakable grip just enough for him to make his move. He was in for a shock, however, when one of the clones managed to clothesline him, after he'd started moving at super speed!

Wally shook his head as he lay flat on his back, trying to get a grip on what just happened. Almost too late he noticed the sword from his assailant diving toward his chest. He rolled sideways, kicking into high gear as he launched into an uppercut. The clone was exposed, her arm completely outstretched as the sword struck the pavement, and Wally's super speed up fist found its mark, sending the clone up and over his allies and down the steps to the street below.

Back in the scrum of the fight, Thomas was using Bruce's old forearm bracers to great effect, stopping the sweeping sword arcs of the clones, holding the line alongside Superman and the Amazons. But when the clones on the inside of the circle silently turned to grab the swords from the clones to far to fight, he saw how quickly things were going to turn. One sword per attacker they could handle, that much was clear, but two swords wielded by Amazon clones in tight quarters? So Thomas changed tactics from taking flame-fisted shots at his opponents to just making smoke. A lot of it. As the clones resumed their attack, Thomas barked out an order, try not to inhale the thick blanket of black smoke coming off his body.

"We need to move! Now!"

The Amazons didn't need to be told twice, quickly joining Thomas as he leapt backward down the steps of city hall. Once he landed well outside of the fight, Wally ran up next to him, pointing the hints of the blue in the sea of swords and white Amazon armor.

"What the hell is Supes doing?"

Thomas put a hand on Wally's shoulder as he cupped his ear, trying to hear the muffled audio coming over his comm.

" _Ge...roof...surro...clones"_

Recognizing Dick's voice, Thomas looked up at the rooftop to his right, seeing not only the explosions and flashes that could only come from the quiver of someone Oliver Queen trained, but a stealth plane that he knew wasn't one of Grayson's.

Wally followed Thomas' eyeline. "Well that can't be good." They both looked left, down the street several blocks, the same tell tale signs of fighting evident on the secondary rooftop too. "Ok, that's definitely not good."

Thomas looked back up at Clark, trading blows with the dozens of clones. He too, it seems, had gotten Dick's message. "Get up there!" He screamed down at them. "I've got this!"

Wally looked over at Thomas. "I'll get them off the roofs. Where are we moving the fight?"

A plan quickly formed in Thomas' mind. "The parking garage I ran in from. Draw 'em in, and then Connor and Billy can drop the building on them." Wally nodded, bursting up the side of the nearest building. As the speedster was moving Thomas touched his comm. "You boys here that? Start cracking support columns, that building's gonna need to go fast once we get them in there."

Not even waiting for the reply, he turned to Artemis and the three Amazons. "We're running to that building." He pointed down the street toward the parking structure. "And we need to be in position before Flash has everyone off those rooftops."

* * *

 **5 minutes ago**

Jim nervously notched an arrow as Nightwing was running orders around the rooftop. He was supposed to have been way out of the action, like Iris, but here he was, on a rooftop surrounded by Batman clones, heavily outnumbered. Without any superpowers, trying to get off the roof was suicide until one of the bigger guns could break away from the Amazon threat. As he looked over across the roof, he was Red Hood checking his ammo clips, completely missing the climbing hood that latched onto the cement behind him. It wasn't until the clone climbing the rope got in the way of the sun that anyone even turned it's way. Jim tried to draw his bow back, but he knew he was too close to the clone, but instead of the clone's knife finding his chest, the clone was dropped mid lunge by a short sword to the neck. Jim followed the flight path of the sword back through the air, his eyes widening when he saw a woman jumping out of a stealth craft that looked an awful lot like the old Batplane he'd heard so much about. As the woman rolled to a stop from the jump of nearly a dozen feet, she stood up, dusting off the shoulders of her green assassin's garb. She looked and around at the team of heroes, all of them staring briefly back at her, until her gaze found Jim, who happened to have an arrow pointed at her head.

"Mom, duck!"

* * *

 **5 minutes later**

It had been a while since Wally had last run up the side of a building taller than five stories. Trying to stay low profile all these years didn't do much for keeping him in top speedster shape. Still, he figured he had enough in the tank to get everyone off both roof tops, provided he didn't catch a stray explosive or bullet along the way. And once he got to the top, that worry increased quite a bit. Quickly deducing they were facing yet another group of clones, these one sporting a very familiar male face. Staying in super speed, West looked for who was the most in danger. It didn't take long for him to spot a green clad assassin taking on four clones at once, pinned back into a corner. As he made his way over to the woman, it suddenly hit him that he knew her. Disarming and knocking out her attackers, he dropped out of super speed.

"Maya?" Sure the woman was quite a bit older than when she disappeared after dropping her 10 year old son off at his door all those years ago, but there was no mistaking a woman quite like that. When she looked at him in annoyance rather than joy upon seeing an old friend, he knew his instinct was right.

"Get my son out of here West. Then you can save me."

Wally quickly spun around, locating Jim. Years ago, he would have loved to needle the former League of Assassin member, but he was much different man than the last time their paths crossed. She, well, he didn't think she'd changed as much.

In the northwest corner of the building, Dick saw the briefest of red blurs running across the rooftop as he and Jason stood back to back against the Bruce clones.

Jason, it seemed, had noticed it too. "Seems like Flash got your message." Jason ducked left to avoid the jab of a clone, coming up to deliver an uppercut combo to drop it. "Nice job cracking that jamming signal."

Unlike Dick, Jason totally missed someone landing in the space his move had opened up between Nightwing and himself. The man's voice almost made Jason jump out of his skin. "I am no expert, but that almost sounded like a compliment. Most odd coming from him."

Dick's spin kick found its mark, knocking a clone back into two more, giving him room to land, facing their newly arrived ally. "About time you show up D. Or do you actually go Ra's now?"

Damien took a step forward, into the punch from a clone. Pinning the thing's arm to his right side, Damien brought his left arm around the back of the clones head, twisting violently to snap the being's neck. "It doesn't. But if you're wondering about the plane, father _did_ leave it me in his will."

Dick felt the rush of wind that only Wally could make, and knew it would be pointless to reply. He was alone on the rooftop, and staring down the last four clones that had finished their climb. In that moment, an old mission with Bruce flashed through his mind, and an idea started forming. But it didn't matter, because he was almost immediately trying to regain his balance inside the parking garage that he'd set as the rally point for Thomas, Connor and Billy.

He quickly yelled out before Wally about run back off. "Bring me two of those clones, one alive, the other dead or knocked out. I have an idea."

While Wally sped off to get Oliver, non-Amazon Artemis, and the rest of their rag tag group, Dick ordered everyone but Connor, Thomas and Billy to exit through the rear of the building, out of any clone's eyesight. Once Wally had returned with everyone else, Dick ordered them all back through along the same route. Before running back with them, Nightwing pointed at the knocked out cloned lying on the ground.

"Thomas, as soon as we're clear, I want the biggest damn fire punch you've ever thrown to send this abomination _through_ the building across the street. That should get their attention. Once you three get them boxed in, draw them all the way in. You know what to do from there.

* * *

Back on the steps of city halls, the last clone's sword shattered against Superman's back. More out of annoyance than anger, Superman spun around to grab the Amazon clone by the throat. He paused, certainly not for the first time in this fight, as he looked into the stolen face of a young woman he knew nearly a lifetime ago. Like all the rest, he quickly got back to the fight, this time delivering a strong left hook to render the clone unconscious before turning his attention to Diana, the only Amazon left standing.

"I suppose I should ask why you never joined the fight. It wouldn't be because that knocked out Martian is making you question things, is it?"

Clark wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it wasn't for her to laugh in his face. "Oh no, Clark," she said his human name almost like an insult, "I'm just saving all my energy."

"For what?" Superman's question was punctuated by the ground shaking beneath his feet, followed swiftly by the sounds of the floors of the nearby parking garage fall on top of each other. In the cloud of dust, he didn't see Diana sprinting toward him with her sword drawn, ready to answer his question. He turned back to face her just in time for her sword to run through his stomach, taking his breath away as he slumped to the ground. Then, like a hot knife drawing across skin, he felt the radiation from what could only be kryptonite washing over him.

Lying on his side, he looked at the blade, noticing the small traces of the mineral in the hilt, too tiny to affect him from any distance more than a few inches.

As the dust cleared, Clark looked up as Diana stepped in front of the sun, casting a shadow over his face.

"You're going to die, and it's going to stick this time Clark. And once you're gone, I will finish what I've started. Everyone you foolishly fought beside today will die. Like you, it will be slow, and it will be painful. So as the radiation destroys your body from the inside ou-" A low chuckle from the weakened Man of Steel cut her off. "Death is no laughing matter Clark."

Straining through the pain, Clark smiled. "Well, it is if the person trying to kill you in monologuing."

Too late, the realization that the two weren't alone dawned on the disgraced Queen of the Amazons. A shoulder charge from Artemis caught Diana square in the back, sending her flying over Clark's head. The redhead quickly knelt down next to Clark. "If I pull this, will you die?"

Clark shook his head. "No, but it'll hurt like a so-whoa!" He tensed violently as Artemis wrenched the sword from his stomach. Once it was removed he rolled over on his back, finally able to draw a breath. He turned his head to the left, just in time to see Artemis bring Diana's own sword down on the latter's still prone body. He heard Diana cry out just as the God-forged blade pierced the back of her right shoulder, pinning her to the pavement. He didn't need to his super-hearing to hear what Diana was saying to her former lieutenant.

"Traitor!" Diana's rage was blunting the pain, but Artemis could see her queen beginning to crack, tears starting to well up in her eyes.. "You will pay for this betrayal!"

"You're the one who betrayed your sisters. And for what? We don't even know the real reason you asked your family to betray thousands of years of peace in your mad rush for power! You're mother would be ashamed of you. Even she wouldn't be able to forgive us for the things we've done under your orders."

Both Artemis and Diana lapsed into silence, no longer caring what the other had to say, each oblivious to Clark has he made his way over to them, already healing under the light of the sun.

"I don't know about forgiveness, Artemis, but I think I can help answer your first question. We don't know the how, or even the why, but we know _who_ is behind everything that has happened to me, to you, to Diana, over all these years."

"Damn right right we know." A third voice joined in as Thomas finished climbing the steps some twenty feet away. "And that bastard Vandal Savage is going to pay."

* * *

 **AN: Go check out 'Sigma Squad' if you want some insight into Maya's character, as well as 'The Outlaws'. Please review!**


	16. Chapter 16

"We don't know the how, or even the why, but we know _who_ is behind everything that has happened to me, to you, to Diana, over all these years."

"Damn right right we know." A third voice joined in as Thomas finished climbing the steps some twenty feet away. "And that bastard Vandal Savage is going to pay."

Thanks to the open wound through her shoulder, it had been fairly easy for Nightwing to administer a sleeping agent to Diana, allowing him enough time to safely apply field dressing to the through and through stab wound. While he was working, Damien had gone back to his adopted brother's stealth plane and grabbed the high tensile body restraints Bruce had specifically designed for his Amazon teammate all those years ago. Only when she was secure did Dick acknowledge Thomas' rather bold assertion about tracking down Vandal Savage.

"Unless you have some secret line on where the guy is, I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon."

Thomas walked right past his friend. "Oh I haven't the faintest idea where that immortal bastard's hiding these days." He stopped walking over the body of the Martian that Superman had thrown him into at the start of the fight. He gestured down at the body. "But he probably does."

It wasn't until Thomas kicked the Martian awake the Dick got what he was planning to do. He was going to rush forward and stop his old teammate, but Damian put a hand on his shoulder, stopping his older brother.

"This needs to be done Grayson. After what the Martian has done, and Savage as his master, this is going to happen, let alone that your team has no telepath. The only non-telepath that can really keep a Martian in check during an interrogation is someone literally embodies their species greatest fear: fire."

Sensing it wasn't a fight he wasn't going to win, Dick motioned for Wally and Oliver to join him off to the side. The two quickly made their way over to him, just for the briefest of orders. "Get your sidekicks out of here. They don't need to see this."

Back at the front of the group, the Martian was starting to come around. As soon as his eye's opened they began to glow bright red, but a sudden heat in his throat made him freeze in panic.

"Feel that?" The Martian's eyes focused on Thomas, directly in front him, the human's hand only a few inches from his face. "That's super-heated air ready to burn your body from the inside out if you try any telepathic counter-measures. Now I know you can't get in my head, because two other Martians couldn't if I didn't want to them, courtesy of some White Martian genetic engineering, but if my friends do anything but stand exactly where they are, you die. Understand?"

The Martian's eyes dimmed, and he nodded. "I understand."

It didnt' little to dampen the anger in Thomas' eyes. "Good. Now where is Vandal Savage? I will not ask again."

"I do not doubt you, Thomas Jackson. Savage spoke of you a great deal during the experiments. Even for someone who has murdered thousands of people across the galaxy, what he did to you was brutal. Do you remember the tank? The Lazarus serum burned through your circulatory system over a hundred times before Savage's scientists found their missing link."

A grimace every so briefly crossed Thomas' face before the steely calm he learned from Bruce reasserted itself. "I remember. I remember it all. And unless you want to die right here and now, you're going to stop talking about it."

"Oh I have no wish to die as you did those countless times, burning from the inside out, so I will tell you what I know. Savage never allowed me into his primary facility, only satellite sites across the globe. But he is the paranoid sort, as you know, and he so enjoys keeping track up his investments." The Martian's eyes flicked quickly to one of the dead clones lying on the ground. "I believe if you look hard enough that you'll be able to find what you're looking for."

Thomas touched his comm. "Hey Luthor, you catch that?"

Back at his Metropolis estate, Lex was working feverishly on his computer as he answered on the open line, so everyone on the team could hear him. "Give me five minutes. If Savage has any kind of tracking on the clones, I'll find it."

That out of the way, Thomas turned his attention back to the Martian. "I only have one more question. J'onn J'onzz and M'Gann M'orzz; are they still alive?" This time, the Martian clammed up, but his silence spoke volumes. "You killed them, didn't you? Then Savage had you take J'onn's place to get close to Diana."

The Martian didn't answer, but Thomas didn't need him to. "Nightwing, is there any telepathic containment units that will actually work on a Martian? Because last I checked, the only control collars are under lock and key at the UE headquarters, still staffed by Amazons who don't know what's all gone down here."

Thomas' answer was a throwing star streaking in front of his face, drilling into the Martian's head, killing the alien instantly. Thomas whirled back, half angry, half relieved to see it was Damian who had thrown it. No one moved a muscle until he shrugged, a foreign gesture for the current Ra's al Ghul.

"Containment wasn't an option, and it was either the Martian's life or he takes control of Superman and we all die. I'm more than happy to leave and attend to League matters if there are objections."

An uneasy silence settled over the group. Most felt killing the Martian was wrong, but no one, not even Superman, was feeling particularly remorseful about his death.

Standing over the body of their unconscious queen, Artemis and Amazons exchanged worried looks, something Damien noticed.

"You and your warriors have nothing to fear, not from me or the League of Shadows at least."

Thomas nodded in agreement, picking up where Damian left off. "Your queen might though, but that's an issue for the world to decide, once all this is done. As much as some of us don't like it, what Mr. Assassin said is right, we couldn't keep a telepath in line before trial, not with the global chaos that's about to go gown. But with Superman back in the game, even an Amazon as strong as Diana shouldn't be an issue."

Their conversation was cut short by Lex quickly issuing an order over the team-wide communication system. "I need everyone to shut down all non-EMP shielded equipment. Sorry in advance."

Taking orders from Lex didn't sit well with Clark. "Sorry for what, Luthor?"

There was no answer on the comm, only the faint whine of a missile engine as a small LuthorCorp munition made a beeline for the team's position, landing only a few feet from the crowd before exploding in a burst of light.

"That's what, Superman." Luthor's tone only betrayed his condescending nature when the word _Superman_ left his lips. "That was a prototype tactical EMP. It appears that my old business partner had been using a rather sophisticated nano-surveillance system, based on one of my designs as it so happens. I discontinue the project when I couldn't shore up the vulnerability to a brute force EMP. And if know what you're looking for, and helped make the things, it's not too hard to find where the location of where nanobots are streaming their capture data."

Thomas didn't have to wait for any further explanation. "So you have Savage's location. Where can I find the bastard?"

"One condition, Mr. Jackson. I want your word that our arrangement will stand."

Thomas shook his head. "Luthor, you're self-preservation streak is really starting to piss me off. I don't like repeating myself, so you'll only hear this once. From the beginning we've known the cost of your help, and we're still willing to pay. Now spill."

"Gladly. I've sent the coordinates to Nightwing's computer system. Good hunting."

Thomas snapped his head around to Dick, who was already working on his wrist computer. "Tell me you got them."

Nightwing answered without looking up from the display. "He's in the Bayou. If I'm reading this right, he's set up shop were the Injustice Society made that freaky plant thing way back when."

Thomas stepped away from the group, needing some room to take off. "I'm going get a headstart. Wally, and and Superman meet me there. Nightwing, guide us in, but you need to get our Amazon prisoner to the UN and let the whole world know Diana's standing down. We don't need any other Leaguers trying to stop you before they find out what happened here."

Nightwing nodded. "You got it. And Thomas," Dick's voice faltered, only for a moment. "If you find his body, bring him, and her, home."

"Count on it."

* * *

 **Louisiana Bayou  
35 minutes later **

Savage had lost his cool. His science staff had failed to restore communication with the drones in Metropolis, which could only mean that Lex Luthor was assisting makeshift team of heroes.

"You assured me that you had removed any vulnerabilities from Luthor's nano drones, doctor!"

The lead scientist paled as Savage bore down on him. But he never caught the punch that Savage was clearly about to throw at him, thanks to the structure shaking. The scientist steadied himself against the unstable ground, the possible scenarios running through his brain. This facility was miles below ground, deep in the bedrock. That it had suddenly become unmoored from the ground could only mean one thing. Once the shaking stopped he stood up.

"Sir, I think it's safe to say Superman isn't in Metropolis anymore."

Savage glared at the man, trying to formulate a plan. He didn't get very far as a super speed fist caught him square in the gut, sending him flying backward into the large viewscreen in the front of the room. The glass shattered on impact, raining down on the immortal villains. A couple of the larger shards pierced his hand. Still, a man as old as him had long gotten accustomed to pain. He rolled over to sit up against the wall, his vision focusing just as he was lifted off the ground by Thomas. He groaned as he felt his diaphragm snap back into place, noticing Superman standing a few paces back from Thomas.

"Superman, Mr. Jackson. It's been some time since our paths have crossed."

A burst of flame from Thomas' hand caught Savage's overcoat on fire. "I only have two questions. Are they still alive?"

Seeing that all his option were gone, his remaining staff ferreted away by Flash, and his puppet government all but overthrown, Savage relented. "Yes. Both Ms. Sandsmark and Bruce Wayne are alive, thanks in large part to you, actually."

Thomas didn't bite on his attempt to sidetrack the interrogation. "Where are you keeping them?"

Savage sighed. "Four floors down. It's a rather complicate procedure to remove them from the tanks, even my best scientist wasn't sure he could manage it if need be." Savage was a little surprised when Thomas let him drop to the floor. But Jackson quickly cleared up his confusion.

"I'm not letting you go, Savage. I'm going to find my fiance. Superman, I'm sure, will be great company for you, what with you killing his wife in front of him and all."

Savage stood motionless as Thomas walked away, and Superman took his place, his eye's glowing red. Savage closed his eyes to prepare his heat vision, but the pain never came. He opened an eye to see that Superman was standing in front him, arms crossed, unmoving.

"I'm not going to kill you Vandal, that's not who I am, not the person Lois married. No one, not even the likes of you is going to change that."

* * *

By the time Thomas had taken the elevator down to the level Savage had indicated he found Wally already hard at work at the computers, speeding back and forth between monitors to get a handle on what the scientists were doing.

"What do you have for me West?"

Wally was still typing away when he answered. "If I'm reading this right, it looks like a really messed of cocktail of drugs, Lazarus pit water, and some kind of alien water is being fed into the stasis tanks in the center. One for Cassie, one for Bruce."

Thomas looked out the main window of the lab at the tanks Wally was talking about. "What the hell for?"

"To keep them alive. And not just in a cryo-pod, but living, breathing, and not aging a day. The closest thing I could describe it as would be cellular suspension. I guess now we know why they had to test it on you first though."

"Why's that?"

"Because if they'd gotten it wrong, the mixture would probably have led to their bodies literally liquefying in the tanks. You're healing ability meant that couldn't happen, so they could try it again until they got it right."

"Enough science shit, can you get them out?"

Wally nodded, his mind still focused on the screen in front of him. "I think so. Cassie's gonna be a bit tricker though."

"Shouldn't she be able to handle it better than Bruce? She's Zeus' daughter for crying out loud."

"I wasn't talking about her being a demi-god. She's pregnant. So...congrats?"

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the rushed ending, I just really wanted to get this done. I'll have an epilogue up in a few days. Please review!**


	17. Epilogue

It had been a long time since Emil Hamilton had fielded a call from anyone in the Justice League, even before it had officially disbanded. Seeing where the League was headed, he had been one of the first to jump ship and never look back. It had been a good almost dozen years since he turned in his Watchtower badge, but as soon as he saw Dick Grayson's name scroll across his caller ID he knew he would say no to whatever the man was inevitably going to ask for. Which is why STARr Labs was evacuated during the middle of a work day how Emil found himself standing at the end of two medical beds that, in a flash of yellow and red lightning, were soon supporting the unconscious bodies of Batman and the second Wonder Woman. Calling his emergency staff the doctor went to work, trying to make sense of the massive amounts of data Flash had dropped on a storage drive while the nurses hooked the vigilantes up to the operating equipment.

50 or so feet down the hall from the operating room was the main waiting room, something Oliver was innately familiar with after all the times he and Dinah had to be patched up here back in the day. Queen had been one of the first that Clark and Wally had sped to STAR Labs.. Artemis popped into the chair beside him, her massive main of blonde hair spilling all over the place.

"Damn speedsters." She said, tying back her hair into a ponytail. "Great for getting somewhere, not so much for keeping her style on point."

Soon even more vigilantes began filling up the room as Wally kicked into high gear, transporting all the non-flight capable allies from the crazy morning they'd all just gone through. Once Shazam and Superman flew into the waiting room Wally finally stopped next to Artemis, popping off his goggles.

"I'm gonna go get Nightwing and, I can't believe these words are coming out of my mouth, Ra's. They should be here. I'll help Lane and Waller handle the Amazons, see if they're going to stand down with their queen's disgraced."

Across the room Clark heard the speedster talking to his wife. "I'll have to go too, just in case things don't go like we all hope they will."

Artemis grabbed Wally's hand. "Then be safe. If Diana or any of the Amazons want to pick a fight, you remind them that your wife is a Shadow, and she will have no problem hunting them all down."

Oliver leaned out to interrupt. "And tell that bitch she still owes me an arm."

Wally stood and dropped down his goggles. "I'll see what I can do." And is a blur of lightning he was gone, replaced in a matter of seconds with Dick Grayson and a few seconds more, Damian Wayne. The latter of the two was all business.

"Father's status?"

Right at that moment Dr. Hamilton walked into the waiting room. "They're both stable. It'll take me a bit to get a handle of how to reverse the cellular suspension, but I already have a few theories. The nurses have them hooked up if you two would like to go see him." Emil leaned around Dick to grab Thomas' attention. "You can come in too. From what I remember you and Ms. Sandsmark were rather close, correct?" As the three men walked out of the room Emil addressed the other near dozen people in the room. "I'll see I can get a nurse to help set up a TV at the least for you guys. It's been awhile since STAR Labs saw anything quite like this."

In the medical room Damian stood over Bruce, still not sure he could believe that his father only looked ten years older than himself, at the most.

Dick reached the same conclusion, but took a bit lighter road. "I think Bruce is going to flip a lid when he finds out that thanks this Lazarus pit concoction that I'm technically older than him now."

Damian sighed. "Are you sure West can't go back and make sure certain none of this happens?"

Behind the duo, Thomas answered first. "You're the second person I've heard asking that. And the answer's still no, we're not going to fuck with time just to maybe save a few lives."

Damian scoffed at that. "So those lives don't matter?"

Thomas turned away from Cassandra, looking Damian right in the eye. "What matters is that we're still here. We're still fighting. And the world's still spinning. And yeah, I have no doubt your old man has a giant reset plan hiding in that brain, but this isn't the time to use it."

Damian didn't answer, he just turned and walked out the door. Dick let the door finishing swinging closed before changing tracks.

"So, not to count our eggs and all that, but it looks like things might be getting close to normal a lot sooner than I thought. It's gonna be a whole new world, and it's still going to need protecting."

Thomas put a hand on Dick's shoulder. "Tell me when and where and I'm there, period. Might be a bit busy raising a kid and all, but I'm in. Oh and speaking of, I think I'm gonna need a job. Kids aren't cheap from what I hear. Know anyone who's hiring?"

Dick laughed, and shook his head. It had been too long since he'd been able to just freely laugh with a friend. "Yeah, I think I know a guy. How do you feel about moving to Gotham?"

"Gotham?" Thomas stroked his chin stubble in mock thought. "I hear it's not as bad as it used to be. Bruce Wayne's kid, that Dick Grayson, and his astonishingly good looking wife Barbara Gordon, did a bang up job."

"If I haven't said it yet, I'm glad you're back Thomas. Hasn't been the same without you."

"Yeah, how you guys survived all these years without me it just beyond me. Truly, it is."

"Well then next time maybe you shouldn't be kidnapped and leave us all to fend for ourselves."

"Hey." A deep, and very familiar male voice, pulled the duo's attention to the bio-bed on the right. Bruce Wayne was tilting his head up, glaring at them. "Would you two mind shutting up and getting a doctor?"

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that about does it for this particular AU. Took a lot long to finish than I thought, but a lot has happened in the four+ years since I started this thing. I'm about halfway done with a Smallville mini-series too, if anyone's interested. So, you know, please reveiw!**


End file.
